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ADVERTISING 

ITS  PRINCIPLES  AND  PRACTICE 


6395     2 


ADVERTISING 

ITS  PRINCIPLES  AND  PRACTICE 


HARRY  TIPPER 

Manager  of  "Automotive  Industries";  Instructor  in 
Advertising,  New  York  University;  Ex-President  of  the 
Association  of  National  Advertisers;  Ex- President  of  the 
Advertising  Club  of  New  York. 

HARRY  L.  HOLLINGWORTH,  Ph.D. 

Associate  Professor  of  Psychology,  Columbia  University 

GEORGE  BURTON  HOTCHKISS,  M.A. 

Professor  of  Business  English  and  Head  of  the  Advertis- 
ing and  Marketing  Division  in  New  York  University; 
formerly  with  the  George  Batten  Company,  Advertising 

FRANK  ALVAH  PARSONS,  B.S. 

President  of  New  York  School  of  Fine  and  Applied  Art 
and  Lecturer  in  Advertising  Display  in  New  York  Uni- 
versity 


SECOND  EDITION 
Third  Printing 


THE  RONALD  PRESS  CO. 
NEW  YORK   CITY,  1921 


Copyright,  1915,  by 
The  Ronald  Press  Company 


Copyright,  1919,  by 
The  Ronald  Press  Company 


20  8  5 


f*^  Bub.  Admin. 

Library 

•  •  \~ 


5823 
T49a 


PREFACE 

This  volume  is  the  outgrowth  of  two  years'  experience  by 
the  authors  in  developing  the  work  of  the  Advertising  Division 
of  New  York  University.  During  this  period  they  found  that 
the  most  serious  hindrance  to  education  in  preparation  for 
advertising  was  the  lack  of  suitable  text-books.  Many  valu- 
able books  existed,  it  is  true,  but  most  of  them  seemed  either 
too  specialized  or  too  narrow,  or  lacking  in  fundamentals. 
This  condition  led  the  four  authors  to  collaborate  in  the  writ- 
ing of  this  text-book. 

The  distinctive  feature  of  the  book  is  its  attempt  to  com- 
bine all  the  various  arts  and  sciences  that  enter  into  the  work 
of  advertising  and  to  give  the  fundamentals  of  each  with  ref- 
erence to  all  the  others.  It  includes  the  economic,  psycholog- 
ical, and  physical  factors,  together  with  the  essential  principles 
of  artistic  arrangement  and  English  composition  as  applied  to 
the  construction  of  advertisements.  Finally,  it  sums  up  all 
these  parts  in  the  actual  operation  of  an  advertising  campaign. 

Although  the  book  is  simple  enough  to  be  understood  by  the 
student  of  advertising  who  has  had  no  experience,  it  should  be 
almost  equally  valuable  to  the  advanced  practitioner  who 
wishes  a  broader  view  of  some  phases  of  his  profession.  Prin- 
ciples have  constantly  been  stressed,  but  practical  aspects  have 
not  been  neglected. 

The  authors  acknowledge  their  indebtedness  to  many  special 
treatises  on  advertising.  They  acknowledge  special  indebted- 
ness to  the  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute  for  permission  to 
use  material  from  its  Modern  Business  text  on  Advertising 
by  Hotchkiss  and  Tipper. 


vi  PREFACE 

More  than  all  else,  however,  they  are  under  obligation  to 
the  Educational  Committee  of  the  Advertising  Men's  League 
of  New  York  for  helpful  suggestions. 

New  York  City, 
March  5,  191 5. 

PREFACE  TO  SECOND  EDITION 

The  above  preface,  like  that  of  many  other  first  editions,  was 
largely  a  statement  of  purposes  and  promises.  That  these 
have  been  fulfilled  in  a  measurable  degree  is  indicated,  perhaps, 
by  the  fact  that  a  second  edition  has  become  necessary.  The 
authors  find  no  little  satisfaction  in  the  knowledge  that  three 
years  of  actual  test  in  the  classroom  and  office  have  not  led 
to  any  changes  in  the  plan  of  the  book  or  in  the  fundamental 
principles  it  presents.  They  find  far  greater  satisfaction  in  the 
knowledge  that  their  own  experience  and  the  valuable  sugges- 
tions of  others  have  resulted  in  many  valuable  additions  and 
amplifications  which  should  enable  the  book  to  fulfill  even  more 
completely  its  original  purposes. 

Washington,  D.  C, 
January,  19 19. 

Note :  —  The  advertisements  throughout  the  book  have  been 
selected  because  of  their  illustration  of  specific  principles,  and 
their  use  should  not  be  taken  to  indicate  unqualified  approval 
or  condemnation  of  any  advertisement  as  a  whole. 


CONTENTS 


Part  I  —  The  Economic  Factors  in  Advertising 

Chapter                                                                                               Page 
I     What  Is  Advertising? 3 

Historical 

Recent  Growth 

Lack  of  Exact  Definition 

General  Limitations  of  Advertising 

Efficiency  of  Advertising 

Testing  Efiiciency 

Advertising  Has  Changed  Marketing  Ideas 

Advantage  of  Written  Over   Spoken  Word 

Print  Has  Implied  Accuracy 

II     The  Way  in  Which  Advertising  Is  Used  ...     14 

General  Functions  of  Advertising. 

Advertising  as  a  Control 

Advertising  as  a  Missionary 

Advertising  as  an  Economic  Distribution  Factor 

Advertising  as  a  Direct  Selling  Force 

The  Economic  Relation  of  Advertising  to  Marketing 

Cost 
Increase  in  Efficiency  of  Salesman 
Effect  Upon  the  Distributor 
Value  to  the  ^Manufacturer 

III     The  Factors  Which   Determine  the  Kind  and 

Extent  of  Advertising 24 

Underlying  Conditions 
Factory  Organization  and  Output 
Consumption 
Competition 
Prices 

Price  and  Value 
Packages  —  Size 
Packages  —  Individuality 
Amount  of  Individual  Purchase 
Number  of  Individual  Purchases  Per  Year 
The  Amount  Per  Unit  Per  1,000  Allowable  for  Adver- 
tising 
The  Possibility  of  Economic  Use 
Greatest  with  Specialized  Goods 
vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

Information  Required  Before  Advertising 
Difterent  Situation  from  Personal  Selling 
First  General  Consideration  —  Production 
Second  Consideration  —  Marketing 
Third  Consideration  —  Sales  and  Advertising  Organ- 
ization 
Signiticant  Points 
Useful  Comparison 
Exceptional  Case 
Abnormal  Conditions  —  Need  for  Study  of  Them 

Part  II  —  The  Psychological  Factors  in  Advertising 

IV    The  PsYCHO-EcoNOiMic  Role  of  Advertising  .     .     49 

Four  Main  Problems 
Knowledge  of  the  Market 
Knowledge  of  the  Commodity 
Establishing  the  Association 
Making  the  Association  Dynamic 

V    The  Original  Needs  of  Human  Beings     ...     60 

Characteristic  Animal  Needs 
The  Needs  of  Primitive  Men 
The  Civilized  Human  Being 
Appealing  to  the  Three  Tendencies 

VI     The  Chief  Human  Instincts,  Needs    and  Emo- 
tions     70 

Classification  of  Instincts 

Suggestive  List  of  Instincts  and  Emotions 

The  Relative  Strength  of  Instincts  and  Interests 

VII     Analysis  of  the  Commodity 80 

Application  of  the  Table  of  Persuasiveness 
The  Forms  and  Varieties  of  Advertisements 
Use  of  the  Rationalization  Appeal 

VIII     Establishing   Associations 93 

The  Importance  of  Association 

The  Law  of  Contiguity 

The  Law  of  Sequence 

The  Law  of  Feeling  Tone 

The  Law  of  Fusion 

Literary-  and  Artistic  Aspects  of  Copy 

1.  Form  and  Arrangement 

2.  Color 

3.  Words 

4.  Typography 

5.  Illustrations 


CONTENTS  ix 

Chapter                                                                                               Page 
IX    Making  Associations  Dynamic 105 

Laws  of  Suggestion 

For  Personal  Articles,  "  Human-Nature  "  Copy 

For  Impersonal  Articles,  "  Reason-Why  "  Copy 

Sometimes  Both  Kinds 

Suggestion  in  Terms  of  Reader 

Suggestion    Must   Accord   with    Regular   Habits   and 

Instincts 
Positive,  Not  Negative 
Prestige  of  the  Source 
Connect  with  Other  Impulses 
Unity  in  Variety 

X     Securing   Vividness   of   Impression        .     .     .     .115 

Attention  and  Memory  Devices 

Size 

Position  in  the  Medium 

Position  on  the  Page 

Monopoly  and  White  Space 

Other  Mechanical  Devices 

XI     Securing  Permanence  of  Impression   ....   122 

Devices  to  Retain  Interest 

Novelty 

Pictures  and  Illustrations 

Color 

The  Comic 

Arrangement 

XII     The    Psychology    of    Trade-I\Iarks    and    Trade- 
Names        126 

The  Functions  of  Trade-Marks 

Relative  Values 

Trade-Names  —  Variety  and  History 

Qualifications  of  a  Good  Trade-Name 

Merchandising  Power 

Other  Factors 

The  Psychology  of  Infringement 

XIII     How   THE  Advertiser   Can   Utilize  the  Psycho- 
logical  Laboratory 134 

The  Laws  of  Human  Nature  —  Scientific  Study 

What  the  Laboratory  Can  Do 

The  Pulling  Power  of  Advertisements 

Experimental  Analysis  of  a  Successful  Campaign 

Analyzing  an  Ineffective  Campaign 

Practical  Utilization   of    Psychological   Technique 


X  CONTENTS 

Part  III  —  Advertising  Copy 
Chapter  Page 
XIV     The  Distinctive  Nature  and  Purpose  of  Adver- 
tising  Copy 149 

Its  Relation  to  Other  Parts  of  Advertising 

Distinction  from  Other  Forms  of  Composition 

Exp^ression  and  Impression 

Style  in  Advertising  Copy 

Slittability  to  Occasion 

Relation  to  Personal  Selling 

Qualities  of  Effective  Copy  —  Economy 

1.  Clearness 

2.  Correctness 

3.  Conciseness 

Effective  Qualities  —  Distinctiveness 
Sometimes  Ove!;;;-emphasized 

XV     Structural  Principles  of  Advertising  Copy    .      ,167 

The  Functions  of  an  Advertisement 

1.  Attraction 

2.  Arousing  Desire 

3.  Creating  Confidence 

4.  Stimulating  Action 
Principles — i.  Unity 

2.  Coherence 

3.  Emphasis 

XVI     Reason-Why  Copy 187 

'^  The  Nature  of  Reason-Wliy  Copy 

Uses  of  Reason-Why  Copy 
The  Process  of  Deliberation 
Eliminating  Alternatives 
Narrowng  the  Choice 
Evidence 

Deductive  Reasoning 
Inductive  Appeal 
Point  of  View 
Style  and  Tone 

XVII     Human-Interest  Copy 203 

'  Its  Purposes  and  Methods 

How  Suggestion  Works 
When  Human-Interest  Copy  is  Appropriate 
Direct  Appeals  to  the  Senses 
Tact  Essential  and  Good  Taste 
Imitation 

Direct  Appeals  to  the  Emotions 
Dramatic  Form 
The  Story  Form 
Sentiment  and  Sentimentality 
Negative  Appeals 
Atmosphere 


CONTENTS  xi 

Chapter  Page 

XVIII     Smaller  Units  of  Advertising  Copy     ....  223 

Technique  in  Advertising  Copy 

Good  Lse 

Adaptation  to  the  Reader 

Exactness 

Suggestion 

Sound 

Tone-Color 

Atmosphere 

Coined  Words 

Sentence  Unity 

Sentence  Coherence 

Sentence  Emphasis 

Paragraphs 

XIX    Copy  as  Affected  by  Medium 245 

Classification  of  Media 

Newspapers  —  National  Advertising 

Newspapers  —  Department  Store  Advertising 

Newspapers  —  Small  Retail  Stores 

Newspapers  —  Classified  Advertisements 

General  Magazines  and  Weeklies 

Class  Publications 

Street  Cars  and  Bill-Boards 

Programs,  Calendars,  and  Other  Special  Media 

XX     Copy  as  Affected  by  Audience 259 

"  Getting  Across  " 

Copy  for  Business  Men 

Copy  for  Technical  Men 

Copy  for  Trade  Papers 

Copy  for  Farmers 

Copy  That  Appeals  to  Women 

"  Reason-Why  "  Copy  for  W"omen 

Miscellaneous  Copy  Problems 

XXI     Copy  as  Affected  by  Display 276 

Relative  Importance  of  Display  and  Text 

The  Factors  That  Attract 

Publicity  Copy 

Inquiry  Copy 

Type  Display 

Headlines 

Headlines  —  Brevity 

Headlines  —  Specificness 

Headlines  —  Aptness 

Headlines  —  Originality 

Headlines  —  Interesting  Nature 

Tying  Up  Display  Lines  to  Text 

Tying  Uo  Text  with  Illustrations 

Expansion  and  Condensation  of  Text 


Xll 


CONTENTS 


Chapter 


Page 
•  297 


Part  IV  —  Advertising  Display 

The  Functions  and  Elements  of  Display 

What  Is  Display? 

Some  Misconceptions  of  Art 

What  Art  Really  Is 

The  Elements  of  Advertising  Display 

1.  Color 

2.  illustration 

3.  Ornament 

4.  Type 

5.  Texture 

6.  The  Importance  of  Form 
The  Function  of  Display 

XXIII     The  Principles  of  Form 314 

The  Importance  and  Meaning  of  Form 

Consistent  Structural  Unity 

Consistent  Shapes  and  Sizes 

The  Greek  Law  of  Areas 

Balance 

Movement 

Movement  —  Structural  or  Rhythmic 

Emphasis 


XXIV 


\ 
XXV 


Color      

Source  and  Nature 

Spectrum  Colors  and  Their  ^Meaning 

Color  Terms  Defined  —  Tone 

Hue 

Value 

Intensity 

Harmony 

Qualities  of  Likeness 

Qualities  of  Contrast 

Law   of   Backgrounds 


341 


Illustration 


354 


The  Place  of  Pictures  in  Advertismg 

The  Functions  of  Illustration 

Naturalistic  Illustration 

Decorative  Illustration 

Relation  of  Illustration  to  Other  Elements 

Functions  of  Illustration  Summarized 


XXVI     Ornament 


366 


Ornament  Defined 

Decoration  as  Distinguished  from  Ornamentation 

Sources  of  Ornament 

Historic  Ornament 

Ornament  as  Applied  to  Borders 

Initials  and  Other  Applications  of  Ornament 

Head  and  Tail  Pieces 


CONTENTS  xiii 

Chapter  i.                                                                                                Page 
XXVII     Type  Principles 380 

Line  Meanings 

Straight  Lines 

Curved  Lines 

Standard  and  Decorative  Types 

Hand-Made  Type 

Historic  and  Modern  Type 

Relation  of  Initials  to  Other  Type 

XXVIII     Unity,  the  Final  Test  of  Advertising  Display  .  390 

Unity  of  Ideas 

Psychological  Reasons  for  Unity 

Selection  of  Elements 

The  Economic  Necessity  of  Form  and  Arrangement 

Part  V  —  The  Physical  Factors  in  Advertising 

XXIX     Advertising  Manager  —  Agent  —  Publisher   .      .   401 

Advertising  Manager 

Literary  Requirements 

Editorial  Capacity 

Artistic  Perception 

Analytical  Work 

Executive  Powers 

Response  to  Public  Sentiment 

Duties 

Advertismg  Agencies 

Functions 

Service 

Advantages 

Weaknesses 

The  Publisher 

Space  and  Service 

Circulation 

The  Audit  Bureau  of  Circulations 

XXX     Periodical    Media  —  Rates,    Circulation,    Poli- 
cies,  Etc .  428 

Historical 

Fundamental  Values 

Free  Advertising  and  Its  Value 

Censorsliip  of  Advertising  Pages 

General  Division 

Contracts,  Etc. 

Earlier  Circulation  Conditions 

Sworn  Statements 

Territorial  Analysis 

Other  Details  of  Analysis 

Editorial  Policy  and  Circulation 

Advertising  Policy  and  Circulation 

Profitable  Business  an  "  Ethical  Matter  " 


XIV 


CONTENTS 


Chapter 
XXXI 


Page 


The    Field   of   the    Newspaper, 
Prestige,    Etc 


Service,    Local 


448 


The  Function  of  the  Newspaper 
Types  of  Readers 
Advantages  and  Disadvantages 
Lack  of  Censorship  of  Advertising 
Lack  of  Standardization  in  Rates 

XXXII  Magazines,  Technical  and  Trade  Journals     .      .  455 

General  Magazines 
Field  and  Functions 
Women's  Publications 
Trade  Journals 
Technical  Journals 
Copy  Service 
Special  Service 

XXXIII  Outdoor  and  Other  Forms  of  Advertising     .     .  468 

Historical 

Influence  of  Signs 

Values 

Bill-Posters'  Association 

Posters 

Illuminated  Bulletins  and  Posters 

Electric   Signs 

XXXIV  Direct  Mail  and  House  Organs 494 

Introductory 

Functions  of  Direct  Mail  Advertising 

Form  and  Typography  of  Printed  Matter 

House  Organs 

House  Organ  for  All  Employees 

House  Organ  for  Sales  Force 

House  Organ  for  the  Dealers 

XXXV     The  Trade-Mark 503 

Meaning  of  the  Trade-Mark 
Necessity  for  Individuality 
From  the  Buyer's  Standpoint 
Trade-Marks  and  Quality 
Legal  Requirements 
Foreign  Requirements 
Certificate  Countries 

XXXVI     Manufacturer's  Aids  to  Dealers 510 

General  Purpose 
Window  Displays 
Store  Cards 

Demonstrations  and  Samples 

Booklets  and  Otlier  Printed  Matter,  for  Distribution 
bv  the  Dealer 


XV 

Page 
.  520 


CONTENTS 

Chapter 
XXXVII     Organization  and  Product 

Character  of  Sales  Organization 
Operating  Policy 
Character  of  Product 
Technicality  of  Product 
Usage  of  Product 
Distribution  of  Product 
Distributors  of  Product 
Competitive  Status  of  Product 

XXXVIII     Purpose  of   Campaign 528 

Establishing  Reputation 
Extending  Organization  Values 
Extending  Uses 
Gaining  Distribution 
Increasing  Consumption 
Solidifying  Sales 
Identifying  Trade-Mark 
Familiarizing,  Educating,  Stimulating 


Part  VI  —  Planning  the  Campaign 


XXXIX     Determining  What  to  Spend 537 

General  Policy 
Preliminary  Investigation 
Competitive  Statistics 
Consumer  and  Dealer 
Choice  of  Media 
Circulation  Analysis 
Dealers'   Investigation 

XL     Writing  the  Copy  and  Considering  the  Returns  549 

Copy  Material 
Psychological  Investigation 
Copy  Returns 
General  Returns 


ADVERTISING,    ITS   PRINCIPLES 
AND   PRACTICE 

PART  I 

THE  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN 
ADVERTISING 


CHAPTER  I 

WHAT  IS  ADVERTISING? 

Historical 

While  the  fact  has  been  dwelt  upon  in  almost  every  book 
on  the  subject  of  advertising,  there  is  always  a  tendency  to 
overlook  the  part  which  advertising  has  played  in  the  growth 
of  business  in  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth  centuries.  The 
later  progress  of  this  branch  of  marketing  has  overshadowed 
its  earlier  development  to  such  an  extent  that  it  is  accused 
of  being  new,  experimental,  and  to  a  degree  undetermined; 
while  the  truth  of  the  matter  is  that  advertising  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  the  selling  of  goods  for  more  than  two  centuries. 

It  is  true  that  these  earlier  applications  of  publicity  to  busi- 
ness appear  at  this  time  entirely  crude  and  of  little  moment; 
yet  these  announcements  formed  a  fundamental  part  of  the 
sale  of  goods,  and  were  used  to  draw  attention  to  wares  of 
various  kinds  in  all  parts  of  the  civilized  world.  As  a  matter 
of  record,  some  form  of  public  sign  has  been  usual  for  thou- 
sands of  years,  but  advertising  in  any  way  comparable  with 
the  work  of  today  began  with  the  extension  of  the  art  of 
printing  and  the  spread  of  education  in  reading  and  writing. 
So  clearly  has  advertising  associated  itself  with  business 
growth  that  a  study  of  advertising  from  the  beginning  of 
the  eighteenth  century  is  almost  a  study  of  business  prog- 
ress. This  should  be  thoroughly  appreciated,  if  the  place  of 
advertising  in  modern  business  is  to  be  understood. 

The  enormous  increase  in  the  possibilities  of  production 
available  through  the  discovery  of  steam  and  electricity  in- 
troduced into  business  the  great  problems  of  marketing,  which 

3 


4  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

gave  an  added  stimulus  to  the  use  of  all  the  forces  of  selling, 
and  particularly  added  to  the  importance  of  the  advertising 
force. 

The  cotton-trade  growth  in  the  eighteenth  .and  nineteenth 
centuries  indicates  that  the  first  year  of  the  introduction  of 
steam  in  Great  Britain  saw  a  growth  of  300  per  cent  in  the 
manufacture  of  cotton  goods.  This  sudden  and  voluminous 
increase  in  production  required  a  corresponding  increase  in 
markets,  and  so  the  selling  problem  —  the  problem  of  getting 
rid  of  the  manufactured  goods  —  arose. 

The  first  railway  built  in  England  between  Liverpool  and 
Manchester  showed  another  increase  of  300  per  cent  in  one 
year,  introducing  another  marketing  problem  in  disposing  of 
the  large  surplus  over  the  previous  production. 

From  that  time  continual  improvement  in  the  machinery 
of  production,  transportation,  communication,  etc.,  has  in- 
creased the  production  of  all  classes  of  commodities  by  leaps 
and  bounds,  and  added  thousands  of  new  commodities  to  those 
already  in  use.  The  problem  of  disposing  of  these  goods  be- 
came, consequently,  more  and  more  important.  People  had 
to  be  taught  to  use  more  material  and  many  more  varieties. 

This  all  meant,  and  means  today,  an  increasing  selling  prob- 
lem. Coincident  with  this  development,  came  the  spread  of 
education  in  reading  and  writing,  and  its  natural  consequence, 
the  application  of  the  force  of  publicity  to  business. 

The  possibility  of  reaching  thousands  of  people  in  the  same 
time  required  for  reaching  one  in  personal  selling,  the  small 
cost  of  this  method,  and  the  strength  of  its  force,  made  ad- 
vertising a  natural  move  in  the  requirements  of  marketing. 

This  situation  also  gave  an  added  value  to  the  trade-mark 
and  made  its  use  vastly  more  important.  Some  sign  or  sym- 
bol by  which  the  goods  of  a  particular  craftsman  or  merchant 
could  be  identified  had  been  in  use  for  centuries,  and  this  iden- 
tification had  become  important  enough  before  the  develop- 


WHAT  IS  ADVERTISING?  5 

ment  of  modern  business  to  make  the  trade-mark  laws  a  very 
essential  part  of  the  commercial  structure. 

Recent  Growth 

In  the  minds  of  the  public,  the  articles  bought  had  usually- 
been  associated  with  the  merchant  who  sold  them,  and  not 
with  the  manufacturer  who  made  them.  This  condition 
changed,  for  the  necessity  of  enormous  investments  in  manu- 
facture brought  with  it  the  necessity  of  more  definite  touch 
with  the  consumer,  and  this  led  the  manufacturer  to  use  the 
more  obvious  means  of  reaching  the  consumer  —  advertising. 
Some  means  of  identification  of  the  manufacturer's  goods  by 
the  consumer  became,  in  this  case,  vastly  more  important  than 
it  had  been,  and  consequently  the  trade-mark,  the  appearance 
of  the  package,  etc.,  were  affected  to  an  unusual  degree. 

Tli£-jenofmett-s~dgvelopmeni  of  manufacturing  units  was~the 
primary  cause_of  the-xe^^^j^t-^impptu'^  given  to^gLdy/^rtjgipg;,]!^ 
modern  diversified  lines  of  industry.  This  increase  in  the 
size  and  cost  of  manufacturing  units  demanded  a  correspond- 
mgTncrea^eTnThe^tabTtity^bf  business,  the  investment  in  the 
plant  being  ma.de  agajnst  the  future~possit)ititTes  of  returns 
upon  the  capital  so  invested.  This  future  obligation  de- 
manded a  more  definite  control  of  business  than  the  sale  to  a 
distributor *or  the  marketing  of  an  unidentified  product  would 
give.  As  a  consequence,  an  appeal  to  the  consumer,  giving 
individuality  and  identity  to  the  particular  product,  became  a 
necessary  part  of  the  sales  proceedings.  Coupled  with  the  in- 
creasing competition  between  manufacturing  units  and  the 
cost  of  that  competition,  driving  those  concerns  to  take  all 
available  means  to  develop  the  market,  the  necessities  of  the 
case  forced  the  manufacturer  to  give  particular  attention  to 
advertising  which  provided  a  means  of  massing  some  of  the 
selling  operations  under  more  definite  control. 

The  last  twenty  years  have  seen  the  greatest  growth  of  ad- 


6  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

vertising.  Up  to  the  beginning  of  that  time  the  increasing 
cost  of  marketing  had  been  more  than  balanced  by  the  decreas- 
ing cost  of  manufacture,  so  that  prices  could  be  continually 
lowered.  The  necessity  for  further  sales  methods  was  less 
apparent.  The  tendencies  have  changed  in  the  last  twenty 
years;  the  cost  of  marketing  has  increased  far  more  rapidly 
than  the  economies  of  production,  and  the  use  of  sales  meth- 
ods designed  to  decrease  or  keep  down  the  total  cost  of  selling 
has  become  more  important. 

During  this  time,  therefore,  the  growth  of  advertising  has 
been  sufficiently  great  to  surpass  all  its  previous  development. 
Furthermore,  the  requirements  of  competition  in  the  adver- 
tising itself  have  made  its  operation  a  matter  of  special  study 
involving,  as  it  does  today,  detailed  knowledge  of  the  fields  of 
art,  copy  writing,  printing,  merchandising,  consumers'  habits, 
media,  economics,  and  a  hundred  other  subjects.  The  very 
haphazard  method  of  conducting  advertising  visible  in  the 
earlier  records  of  its  use  is  no  longer  possible,  and  the  busi- 
ness now  requires  as  much  special  training  and  study  as  older 
specialized  branches. 

Lack  of  Exact  Definition 

The  word  '*  advertising  "  has  been  the  subject  of  much  sug- 
gested definition,  and  it  is  clear  that  up  to  the  present  it  lacks 
any  scientific  limitations.  Continuing  discussions  on  the  sub- 
ject show,  by  the  very  diversity  of  application,  the  lack  of  any 
limitation  which  can  be  quoted  as  accepted  by  the  advertising 
fraternity,  as  to  either  the  meaning  or  the  operations. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  advertising  is  not  a  fundamental  in 
itself,  and  consequently  is  not  capable  of  the  same  definite 
limitations  as  a  law  or  single  operation.  It  is  an  application 
to  business  of  the  force  of  publicity,  and  its  definitions  may 
vary,  therefore,  with  the  extent  and  character  of  the  applica- 
tion. 


WHAT  IS  ADVERTISING?  7 

The  force  of  publicity  may  be  compared  to  the  force  of 
electricity,  in  itself  undefined,  but  used  for  definite  industrial 
objects.  It  is  true  that,  even  in  its  operations,  the  force  of 
publicity  is  not  so  definitely  controlled  as  the  physical  force; 
nevertheless,  in  the  extent  of  possible  scientific  developments, 
new  applications,  and  undiscovered  efiiciencies  of  use,  there  is 
some  similarity  between  the  force  of  publicity  in  its  industrial 
application  and  the  use  of  electricity  in  its  earlier  stages  of 
development. 

It  is  evident  that  in  the  present  operations  of  advertising 
we  have  done  little  more  than  determine  the  more  obvious  lines 
of  its  future  development;  the  intensive  value  of  the  force  is 
still  to  be  harnessed. 

The  force  of  publicity  or  the  development  of  a  public  opin- 
ion is  sufficiently  strong  to  be  little  short  of  marvelous  in  its 
effects.  All  the  rapid  developments  of  our  civilization  and  its 
equipment  in  the  last  one  hundred  years  must  pay  tribute  to 
the  part  played  by  this  force.  We  have  seen  the  crystalliza- 
tion of  a  public  opinion  in  a  comparatively  short  time  upon  a 
matter  which  had  previously  assumed  no  importance;  opin- 
ions, knowledge,  personality,  etc.,  have  been  lifted  by  this 
force  from  the  obscurity  of  the  unknown  to  a  world-wide 
recognition. 

To  define  such  a  force  or  its  application  to  business  is  futile 
until  the  practical  limitations  of  that  application  are  more 
fully  understood  and  more  thoroughly  worked  out.  Noth- 
ing can  be  done  beyond  saying  that  it  is  the  organized  applica- 
tion of  the  force  of  publicity  to  the  sale  of  commodities  or 
service,  by  increasing  the  public  knowledge  and  desire  for  the 
items  specified  therein. 


General  Limitations  of  Advertising 

It  follows  from  this  definition  of 
limitations  to  its  value  and  usefulness  in  connection  with  busi 


It  follows  from  this  definition  of  advertising  that  there  are 


8  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

ness,  just  as  there  are  limitations  to  the  value  of  machine  work 
in  manufacturing. 

There  are  some  things  which,  on  account  of  the  delicacy 
of  treatment,  the  accuracy,  etc.,  required,  cannot  be  trusted 
to  the  most  sensitive  piece  of  machinery,  but  must  be  finished 
by  the  hand  of  a  skilled  craftsman.  There  are  many  things 
in  the  world  of  selling  which  are  too  delicate  for  the  mass 
treatment  accorded  them  by  the  advertising  man,  and  which 
require  the  touch  of  the  salesman  to  bring  to  the  desired  con- 
clusion. 

Advertising  is  limited  by  its  own  advantages  to  definite 
functions  in  certain  fields.  Its  usefulness  varies  with  the 
character  of  the  product,  the  customer,  or  the  purchase  unit. 
It  varies  with  distribution,  the  character  of  the  buying  habit, 
and  the  extent  of  the  territory.  Above  all,  it  varies  with  the 
attitude  of  mind  of  the  consumer  toward  the  products'  asso- 
ciations. 

No  two  cases  will  be  exactly  alike,  but  all  will  come  under 
some  one  or  two  general  classes  which  define  the  status  of  the 
advertising  in  relation  to  the  personal  selling. 

There  are  some  cases  where  machine  work  is  of  so  little 
value  that  it  could  be  dispensed  with  almost  without  a  ripple. 
There  are  similar  cases  in  selling  where  the  personal  selling 
represents  such  an  important  factor  in  relation  to  the  total 
operation  that  advertising  can  be  dispensed  with,  and  the 
difference  hardly  noted ;  there  are  other  cases  where  adver- 
tising does  all  or  most  of  the  work,  so  that  the  personal  selling 
effort  is  of  minor  importance  in  comparison  with  the  whole 
merchandising  requirement. 

Efficiency  of  Advertising 

From  the  statements  just  made  it  will  be  seen  that  adver- 
tising is  not  something  definite  that  can  be  valued  by  certain 
measurements.     Each  of  the   factors  which  enter  into   it  is 


WHAT  IS  ADVERTISING?  9 

modified  in  value  by  some  of  the  circumstances,  so  that  the 
ultimate  result  involves  the  solution  of  a  difficult  problem. 

This  is  true  in  respect  to  the  values  of  any  particular 
business,  and  the  difficulty  of  the  case  is  by  no  means  lessened 
by  the  fact  that  we  have  investigated  to  a  very  small  extent 
the  factors  which  enter  into  marketing  success. 

Some  consideration  may  be  given,  however,  to  the  general 
efficiencies  which  govern  and  the  need  for  further  investiga- 
tions, so  that  these  shall  be  properly  and  reasonably  measured. 

Efficiency,  as  the  word  is  understood  by  the  engineer,  is 
the  ratio  between  the  amount  of  work  actually  performed  by 
a  unit  and  the  theoretical  capacity  of  that  unit.  This  implies 
the  existence  of  a  standard  or  theoretical  capacity  which  can 
be  applied  to  the  proposition  in  measuring  its  value. 

Nothing  of  this  kind  has  ever  been  applied  to  the  sales 
end  of  business,  and  particularly  to  the  advertising  work.  In 
some  instances  arbitrary  quotas  have  been  established  for  sales- 
men, but  these  are  in  no  degree  comparable  with  the  efficiency 
values  desired  for  true  measurement. 

Testing  Efficiency 

In  one  department  (advertising)  only  has  any  attempt  been 
made  to  consider  the  efficiency,  and  it  must  be  stated  that  the 
result  is  very  disappointing.  The  fact  of  the  matter  is  that 
advertising  is  a  very  low-efficiency  proposition,  and  succeeds 
not  because  of  its  efficiency,  but  because  of  the  minute  unit  cost 
compared  with  any  other  method  of  sales  work  yet  discovered. 

Consider  the  case  of  a  publication  with  100,000  readers 
producing  3.000  replies  and  300  sales.  Such  a  result  is  a 
remarkable  one  viewed  from  the  general  averages  of  practice, 
and  yet  it  represents  only  three-tenths  per  cent  efficiency  of 
orders.  The  revenue  efficiency  might  be  less  than  the  amount 
mentioned  if  the  article  in  question  was  low  priced  and  the 
orders  represented  small  amounts. 


10  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Advertising,  in  common  with  all  selling  work,  lacks  effi- 
ciency. Its  value  is  undoubted,  because  of  its  small  cost,  but 
it  is  as  yet  very  low  in  actual  amount  of  work  accomplished 
in  comparison  with  the  potentiality. 

.  There  are  excellent  reasons  for  this  low  efficiency.  Adver- 
tising has  been  the  subject  of  much  suspicion  on  account  of 
its  exponents,  it  has  been  used  without  regard  to  its  applicabil- 
ity, and  it  has  scarcely  been  analyzed.  This  means,  of  course, 
that  the  investigation  of  advertising,  and  indeed  all  measures 
looking  to  its  analysis,  are  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  will 
repay  the  investigator  many  times. 

Advertising  Has  Changed  Marketing  Ideas 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  this  analysis  of  advertising  is  being 
made  at  the  present  time,  and,  as  a  consequence  of  the  mate- 
rial brought  to  light  from  its  consideration,  the  whole  idea  of 
selling  is  undergoing  a  fundamental  change. 

This  was  to  be  expected;  it  is  impossible  to  introduce  a 
new  force  into  a  business  or  a  branch  of  business  without  a 
readjustment  of  all  old  methods,  in  order  to  take  advantage 
of  its  value. 

Like  all  mass  methods  of  work,  advertising  is  bounded  by 
greater  limitations,  is  less  flexible,  and  is  subject  to  less  change 
than  personal  selling.  For  this  reason,  factors  which  as- 
sumed little  or  no  importance  before  the  introduction  of  adver- 
tising became  of  great  moment  afterward. 

Policies  must  be  fixed  and  defined,  claims,  agreements,  and 
other  items  determined ;  packages  must  be  considered  from  an 
entirely  new  point  of  view\  Where  it  was  intended  to  sell  the 
goods  only  by  the  slow  and  private  process  of  personal  sales- 
men, things  could  be  muddled  through  and  changed  from  time 
to  time  as  they  showed  up  to  be  wrong.  When,  however,  it 
is  determined  publicly  to  state  the  claims,  agreements,  and 
policies,  to  exhibit  the  package  in  the  public  prints  with  all  the 


WHAT  IS  ADVERTISING?  II 

finality  and  vitality  of  the  printed  word,  it  becomes  important 
that  every  possible  factor  should  be  considered  and  weighed, 
so  that  no  adverse  point  may  militate  against  the  success  of 
the  public  campaign. 

By  wrong  methods  of  publicity  it  is  obviously  just  as  pos- 
sible to  educate  the  consumers  of  an  article  to  dislike  it  as 
it  is  to  impress  them  favorably,  so  that  it  becomes  difficult  to 
muddle  along  without  complete  analysis  of  the  whole  situation. 

Advantage  of  Written  Over  Spoken  Word 

When  the  proper  analysis  has  been  made,  however,  adver- 
tising possesses  qualities  which  are  entirely  different  from 
those  in  the  scope  of  personal  selling,  and  those  qualities  so 
amplify  and  round  out  the  selling  plan  as  to  add  materially  to 
its  efficiency  without  regard  to  the  commercial  factors. 

Not  the  least  of  these  qualities  is  the  advantage  of  the  writ- 
ten over  the  spoken  word.  The  intonation,  inflection,  and  em- 
phasis which  add  so  much  to  the  meaning  of  the  spoken  word 
also  take  away  from  it  the  fixity  which  belongs  to  the  cold 
type. 

Where  business  was  done,  where  goods  were  sold,  by  oral 
methods  entirely,  a  certain  want  of  belief  or  reliability,  and 
a  certain  amount  of  suspicion,  naturally  attached  to  the  spoken 
words  of  the  seller,  because  of  the  fact  that  they  were  not 
recorded,  and  consequently  were  without  the  proper  limita- 
tions. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  tendency  of  the  mind  in  general  is 
to  credit  the  printed  word  with  almost  a  full  measure  of  belief. 
It  is  only  after  considerable  reasoning  that  suspicion  may 
enter  in  and  change  this  condition ;  but  the  first  impression  of 
any  written  or  printed  word  is  that  it  speaks  truthfully.  This 
is  logical,  of  course,  because  the  written  or  printed  word  has 
a  definite  meaning;  this  meaning  is  not  altered  or  influenced 
by  inflexions  and  intonations.     In  fact,  it  may  be  limited  at 


12  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

law  because  of  this  characteristic.  Furthermore,  it  is  a  per- 
manent record,  and  can  be  brought  up  to  confront  the  man 
who  wrote  it  at  any  time. 

Print  Has  Implied  Accuracy 

A  peculiar  measure  of  belief,  moreover,  attaches  to  the 
printed  word  because  of  the  fact  that  it  has  been  used  largely, 
primarily,  and  in  the  majority  of  its  work  to  convey  accurate 
and  concrete  information,  to  convey  news  and  to  convey  im- 
pressions, all  of  which  had  values  of  their  own,  were  either 
an  accurate  representation  of  facts  or  were  expressed  with  a 
full  measure  of  sincerity. 

This  work  of  the  printed  word,  which  even  today  remains 
most  important^  has'ln'vesred  it"  wJtlT-a^-beltJ&i-^andl xeliahilityl 
which  belongs  to  no  other  application  of  language.  As  a  con- 
sequence of  this,  the  advertiser  is  obliged  to  measure  his  busi- 
ness from  an  entirely  different  point  of  view  when  he  wishes 
to  take  advantage  of  the  potential  force  of  the  printed  word. 
It  can  readily  be  seen  that  on  account  of  its  peculiar  value 
advertising  will  perpetuate  the  errors  of  business  just  as  read- 
ily as  it  will  perpetuate  its  advantages. 

Furthermore,  because  of  the  fact  that  it  is  not  influenced 
by  personal  idiosyncrasies  and  the  fluctuating  value  which  ac- 
crues from  contact  with  an  individual  in  a  personal  way,  it  is 
affected  by  mistakes  which  are  apparently  of  little  importance 
in  the  old  method  of  oral  selling.  It  may  not  be  a  very  seri- 
ous matter  to  put  your  goods  in  a  package  which  is  not  entirely 
convenient  when  you  start  to  sell  it,  through  a  few  salesmen, 
to  a  few  people.  Mistakes  can  be  rectified  in  these  cases  at  a 
later  period  without  causing  much  trouble.  Where,  however, 
you  wish  to  introduce  this  package  to  several  million  people 
at  the  same  time,  with  the  idea  of  rapidly  acquainting  them 
with  it  to  the  extent  that  it  will  become  one  of  the  familiar 
sights,  it  is  of  vast  importance  that  the  package  should  repre- 


WHAT  IS  ADVERTISING?  13 

sent  as  nearly  as  possible  the  acme  of  convenience.  It  will 
be  just  as  easy  to  familiarize  those  miHions_oi_^p£QpIe_jwitlL 
the  mistake  in  your  package  as  it  is  to  acquaint  them  with  the 
value  of  the  goods,  in  which  case,  instead  of  making  several 
million  customers,  you  would  have  succeeded  in  eliminating 
them  from  your  possible  patronage. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  WAY  IN  WHICH  ADVERTISING  IS  USED 

General  Functions  of  Advertising 

Advertising  is  in  reality  the  machine,  or  bulk,  method  of 
selling.  It  takes  a  large  portion  of  the  public  and,  directing 
them  to  matters  of  fundamental  interest,  turns  these  matters 
to  the  advantage  of  the  product  and  firm  involved.  It  is  the 
mass  action  of  selling,  selling  to  the  group,  handling  the  sales 
question  wholesale. 

It  is  used,  therefore,  either  to  supplant  the  personal  selling 
force,  to  supplement  it,  or  act  upon  it. 

In  some  cases  the  printed  method  of  selling  in  bulk  is  the 
only  method  used.  This  is  the  method  employed  by  the  mail- 
order house,  which  secures  its  business  by  advertising  in  peri- 
odicals and  through  catalogues.  In  this  case  the  personal 
selling  force  is  eliminated,  and  the  whole  proposition  is  put 
up  to  the  customer,  his  approval  secured  and  his  order  placed 
without  the  personal  representative  of  the  seller  having  been 
called  in  at  all. 

Where  the  salesmen  of  the  house  call  upon  the  distributors 
only,  the  advertising  is  used  to  supplement  the  work  of  the 
salesmen  by  directing  the  consumer  to  the  product  in  question, 
and  instituting  a  discrimination  among  the  consumers  in  favor 
of  the  product  being  sold  or  their  acceptance  of  its  quality 
and  reliability. 

Advertising  as  a  Control 

That  part  of  any  business  organization  which  comes  in 
contact  with  the  public  is  the  one  upon  which  the  good-will 

14 


WAY  IN  WHICH  ADVERTISING  IS  USED  15 

of  the  business  depends,  and  the  one  which  can  be  controlled 
only  with  the  greatest  difficulty.  The  work  of  the  agent  or 
representative  can  be  controlled  only  to  a  very  minor  degree, 
as  his  time  is  spent  where  there  is  no  check  upon  his  actual 
methods  of  doing  business.  He  may  exaggerate,  change  his 
arguments,  guarantee  and  do  other  things  not  consistent  with 
the  house  policy,  and  so  long  as  these  matters  do  not  assume 
vital  importance,  may  be  allowed  to  continue. 

Theoretically  the  principal  is  responsible  for  all  the  acts  of 
his  subordinates  in  business,  but  there  are  a  great  many  small- 
minded  men,  and  the  individual  methods  of  each  of  these  repre- 
sentatives cannot  effectively  be  held  to  the  policy  which  the 
principal  desires. 

Advertising  aids  the  central  control  upon  the  conditions 
of  sale,  and  does  this  very  definitely.  It  takes  the  claims, 
the  advantages,  and  factors  of  service,  puts  them  into  the 
most  carefully  worded  phrases,  and,  by  printing  them,  gives 
them  a  definite  character  and  record,  which  may  be  quoted 
against  the  concern  in  question  at  any  time. 

The  statement  of  the  salesman  is  no  longer  the  only  state- 
ment of  the  house ;  another  statement  is  found  in  the  printed 
messenger  of  the  organization.  This  statement,  moreover,  is 
authoritative,  because  it  is  printed,  definite,  and  limited. 

A  measure  of  comparison  is  set  up  by  this  printed  message, 
by  which  the  statements  of  the  representative  and  the  character 
of  the  service  can  be  equally  measured.  This  measure  of 
comparison  acts  as  a  control  upon  the  condition  of  sale  in 
all  its  phases  by  fixing  the  estimate  placed  by  the  principal 
upon  the  services  of  his  product,  and  consequently  obliging 
all  other  conditions  to  come  to  this. 

Advertising  as  a  Missionary 

There  is  a  certain  amount  of  inertia  on  the  part  of  the 
buying  public  toward  any  change  in  the  buying  habits,  which 


l6  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

must  be  overcome  before  any  business  can  be  diverted  from 
other  channels  or  created. 

A  certain  amount  of  famiHarity  with  the  proposition  is 
necessary;  it  must  have  survived  a  period  of  time,  and  be  no 
longer  an  entire  stranger  to  the  prospective  customer.  The 
factor  of  time  cannot,  therefore,  be  eliminated  in  considering 
the  cost  of  securing  business,  and  a  certain  period  must  elapse 
before  there  is  any  general  acceptance  of  the  proposition. 

To  do  the  work  necessary  in  bringing  the  matter  to  the 
prospective  purchaser's  attention  and  familiarizing  him  with 
it,  either  salesmen  or  advertising  must  be  used.  Salesmen 
as  missionaries  are  expensive ;  they  should  rather  be  used  as 
specialists  to  bring  conviction  to  those  already  interested. 
Their  efforts  should  be  directed  to  the  closing  of  business  rather 
than  the  opening  of  negotiations. 

Advertising  using  all  that  part  of  selling  which  is  of  general 
interest  can  break  the  ground  for  the  salesman  by  introducing 
the  product,  the  service,  and  the  house.  This  work  can  be 
done  at  a  fraction  of  the  cost  of  the  same  work  by  salesmen. 
Advertising  is  the  natural  and  effective  business  missionary. 

Advertising  as  an  Economic  Distribution  Factor 

Economic  considerations  have  made  it  necessary  for  products 
to  follow  different  lines  in  passing  from  the  manufacturer 
to  the  consumer;  consequently  the  efficiency  of  selling  is  con- 
cerned with  the  economics  of  distribution  as  well  as  with  the 
cost  of  arranging  the  individual  sale. 

The  general  methods  of  distributing  products  of  manufac- 
ture are : 

I.  From  manufacturer  direct  to  consumer.  This  is  the 
commonly  accepted  method  of  distribution  where  products 
are  bought  in  large  quantities,  where  they  involve  considerable 
sums  for  the  individual  purchase,  and  where  the  number  of 
consumers  is  relatively  small. 


WAY  IN  WHICH  ADVERTISING  IS  USED  17 

2.  From  manufacturer  through  retailer  to  consumer.  This 
is  a  method  of  distribution  used  where  the  individual  purchases 
are  small,  but  frequent;  where  the  goods  can  remain  in  stock 
for  considerable  periods  of  time  without  deterioration,  and 
where,  consequently,  the  retailer  can  order  in  sufficient  quantity 
to  make  this  method  possible. 

3.  From  manufacturer  through  jobber  and  retailer  to  con- 
sumer. This  is  the  method  of  distribution  most  widely  used 
for  all  articles  of  general  consumption  by  the  individual,  for 
all  perishable  goods,  and  for  all  goods  where  the  retailer's 
requirements  are  small.  In  some  cases,  particularly  with  per- 
ishable goods,  the  commission  house  gathers  from  the  pro- 
ducers and  sells  to  the  jobber  or  wholesaler. 

Advertising  is  used  as  an  economic  factor  in  the  distribution 
because  its  influence  is  wielded  through  a  much  more  extended 
circle  than  the  actual  marketing  and  distributing  organiza- 
tion. Its  effect,  therefore,  arises  from  the  general  character 
of  its  influence  and  the  small  unit  cost  involved. 

Where  the  goods  are  sold  direct  from  the  manufacturer  to 
the  consumer,  advertising  has  one  or  both  of  two  definite 
functions : 

1.  To  sell  the  product  entirely,  as  in  mail-order. 

2.  To  introduce  the  product,  follow  up  the  salesman,  and 

act  as  missionary. 

Where  the  goods  are  sold  through  dealer  or  jobber  and 
dealer,  advertising  has  the  following  functions : 

1.  To  stabilize  the  business  by  getting  the  goods  before  the 

consumer. 

2.  To   decrease   the   distribution    cost   by    increasing   the 

amount  of  the  individual  purchase,  or  increasing  the 
number  of  purchases  from  each  individual  dealer. 

3.  To  act  as  a  missionary  in  preparing  the  ground  for  the 

general  selling  campaign, 


l8  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

4.  To  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  dealer  by  bringing  him 
more  directly  in  touch  with  the  selling  work. 

It  will  be  seen  at  once  that  these  are  somewhat  large  matters 
which  advertising  has  to  accomplish,  and,  as  a  consequence, 
things  which  cannot  be  done  in  a  few  minutes.  The  advertis- 
ing and  selling  plans  adopted  must  be  based  upon  sufficient 
analysis  to  be  stable  and  definite  for  a  considerable  period  of 
time  in  order  that  these  large  affairs  may  be  properly  and 
entirely  determined. 

Little  or  nothing  can  be  accomplished  if  the  policies  of  the 
organization  change  so  as  to  force  the  dealer  and  consumer 
to  new  developments  from  time  to  time.  The  consumer,  if 
he  is  to  be  taught  a  buying  habit,  must  be  able  to  fix  the  habit, 
and  this  argues  some  fixity  in  the  sales  policies  which  ger- 
minated it. 

Economic  advantage  can  be  obtained  by  the  advertising 
only  where  careful  analysis  has  determined  the  policy  of  its 
operation  in  conjunction  with  the  sales  department,  so  that 
there  may  be  little  necessity  for  substantial  change  once  the 
policy  is  established. 

Advertising  as  a  Direct  Selling  Force 

In  some  lines  of  business,  and  in  connection  with  many 
articles  of  commerce,  it  has  been  found  possible  to  induce  the 
buying  entirely  by  advertising,  or,  at  any  rate,  to  bring  the 
buyer  to  the  goods  by  the  advertising.  In  these  cases  adver- 
tising acts  as  the  principal  and  direct  force  of  selling,  and 
the  other  items  of  selling  are  either  eliminated  by  or  sub- 
ordinated to  it. 

The  examples  of  this  method  of  using  advertising  are  at 
present  confined  to  the  mail-order  houses  and  the  retailer.  In 
the  case  of  the  mail-order  house  the  whole  selling  is  through 
the  use  of  the  advertising  force.  In  the  case  of  the  retail 
store,  the  advertising  is  expected  to  bring  the  people  to  the 


WAY  IN  WHICH  ADVERTISING  IS  USED  I9 

store,  so  that  it  forms  the  first  and  more  direct  employment  of 
the  force  of  selling. 

The  use  of  advertising  as  a  direct  selling  force  has  certain 
limitations,  it  is  true,  and  these  are  clear-cut  in  their  delinea- 
tions, mostly  economic  in  their  character,  and  almost  universal 
in  their  application.  The  advertiser  who  is  using  advertising 
as  a  direct  means  of  securing  sales  is  interested  in  compara- 
tively quick-moving  products  —  in  products  that  have  already 
found  a  demand  and  in  numerous  products  so  related  that 
virtually  every  want  of  the  individual  unit  can  be  supplied. 

TJie  advertiser  who  undertakes  to  do  his  business  without 
the  intervention  of  a  sales  force  or  by  subordinating  the  sales 
force  to  the  advertising  force,  must  of  necessity  be  performing 
a  service  that  is  required  a  sufficient  number  of  times  in  the 
year  to  make  possible  an  appeal  in  bulk  rather  than  in  individual 
items.  He  must  as  a  rule  be  supplying  a  sufficient  number 
of  the  wants  of  the  individual  buyer,  so  that  he  will  not  lose 
any  of  the  buying  possibilities  of  that  customer,  and  he  must 
confine  his  attention  to  those  conveniences  or  necessities  that 
have  already  established  themselves  and  do  not  require  intro- 
duction. 

The  fact  of  the  matter  is  that  where  advertising  is  used  as 
a  direct  selling  force  it  must  partake  of  the  character  and 
limitations  of  the  salesman.  It  must  close  the  business  and 
close  it  rapidly  and  continually.  It  cannot  undertake  the  slow 
process  of  educating  the  people  to  a  new  convenience  or  a  new 
want.  It  cannot  undertake  to  overcome  inertia  toward  any 
change  in  the  buying  habit.  It  must  merely  alter  the  time  of 
buying  or  the  direction  of  buying  at  the  usual  time. 

The  Economic  Relation  of  Advertising  to  Marketing  Cost 

It  is  obvious  that  advertising  has  had  a  tremendous  effect 
jn^jthe—coftstantly:  jenlarging  cojisumption  o f  _  manju f actured 
products  for  all  kinds  of  purposes.     It  was  inevitable  that  it 


20  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

would  supersede  some  of  the  clumsy,  inaccurate,  and  doubtful 
methods  of  the  personal  selling  which  it  has  replaced.  More- 
over it  is  obvious  that  the  necessity  for  stable  market  control 
on  the  part  of  the  manufacturers  made  the  use  of  advertising 
to  the  consumer  the  only  possible  means  of  obtaining  this  end. 

As  we  have  seen  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  present  chapter, 
advertising  improves  the  selling  or  marketing  condition  be- 
cause of  the  relief  or  replacement  of  the  more  expensive  per- 
sonal selling  force  otherwise  necessary.  These  differences 
should  be  noted  a  little  more  exactly,  as  they  form  not  only 
the  justification  for  advertising,  but  the  index  of  its  possible 
value  for  any  proposition,  and  consequently  the  amount  which 
can  be  profitably  engaged  for  its  use. 

Advertising,  because  of  its  mass  appeal,  can  reach  an  in- 
dividual at  a  sum  which  is  from  Moo  to  /300  of  the  amount 
which  would  be  required  to  bring  the  information  to  the  cus- 
tomer in  any  other  way. 

By  using  advertising  for  all  selling  work,  and  letting  the 
customer  take  the  delivery  cost,  the  mail-order  house  can  sell 
for  approximately  four  per  cent  where  the  department  store 
needs  over  twenty-five  per  cent  for  the  same  work.  Where 
the  advertising  has  been  used  to  supplement  the  work  of  the 
salesman,  the  effect  of  the  use  of  advertising  has  been,  gen- 
erally speaking,  to  increase  the  sales  without  a  proportional 
increase  in  all  the  marketing  expenses,  so  that  the  marketing 
expense,  while  greater  in  total  volume,  was  less  in  percentage 
cost  on  the  individual  unit. 

There  are  three  economic  effects  of  advertising  which  ought 
to  be  understood  in  order  to  determine  its  value  under  any 
given  set  of  conditions  and  any  given  analysis. 

Increase  in  Efficiency  of  Salesman 

The  first  economic  effect  is  the  increase  in  efficiency  of  the 
salesman  himself.     The  work  of  the  salesman  is  of  a  very  in- 


WAY  IN  WHICH  ADVERTISING  IS  USED  21 

definite  character ;  the  customers  with  whom  he  comes  in  con- 
tact have  a  thousand  different  problems  and  scores  of  different 
questions  to  be  taken  up  and  gotten  rid  of  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  customer  —  somehow.  Conversation  does  httle  to 
remedy  this  trouble,  and  the  time  spent  in  all  this,  to  some  ex- 
tent, lost  motion,  is  a  considerable  portion  of  the  total  time 
of  the  salesman.  Furthermore,  where  the  items  of  difficulty 
are  constantly  varying,  the  salesman  becomes  doubtful  of  his 
ow^n  information  and  the  information  which  his  firm  may  have 
upon  the  matter,  particularly  as  there  are  no  reference  manuals 
on  these  conditions  prepared  for  his  benefit.  Advertising,  be- 
cause it  has  a  tendency  to  crystallize,  use,  or  forestall  all 
arguments  in  connection  with  the  service  of  the  goods,  gives 
the  salesman,  ready  to  his  hands,  text-books  for  the  benefit  of 
the  customer,  and  relieves  his  time  in  so  doing. 

In  interviewing  the  hundreds  of  salesmen  from  whom  the 
writer  has  bought,  not  only  in  connection  with  advertising,  but 
previously  in  other  lines,  in  almost  all  cases  where  specific  in- 
formation is  required,  the  advertising  catalogue  or  other  mat- 
ter is  brought  out  by  the  salesman  to  reinforce  his  own  state- 
ment and  to  save  his  own  time. 

The  benefit  in  actual  dollars  and  cents  of  a  moderate  amount 
of  advertising  for  the  use  of  the  salesmen  is  so  obvious  that 
virtually  no  concerns  are  without  some  of  this  kind  of  ad- 
vertising, however  much  they  may  be  inclined  to  call  them- 
selves disbelievers  in  advertising. 

Thus,  in  the  case  of  one  concern,  the  advertising  department 
was  created  for  the  purpose  of  "  eliminating  a  lot  of  cor- 
respondence with  salesmen  and  dealers  and  defining  the  serv- 
ice," this  being  considered  as  the  limit  of  its  usefulness. 

Effect  Upon  the  Distributor 

In  some  directions  the  economic  effect  of  advertising  upon 
the   dealer   and   jobber  —  otherwise   the   distributor  —  arises 


22  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

from  the  same  cause.  That  advertising  has  a  tremendous 
effect  upon  him,  apart  from  the  effect  upon  his  customer,  is 
exempHlied  by  the  fact  that  great  increases  of  business  have 
been  secured  many  times  without  the  advertising  having  had 
an  opportunity  to  affect  the  consumer. 

Apart  from  this  effect  upon  the  dealer,  which  is  somewhat 
hke  the  action  upon  the  salesman,  there  is  the  effect  upon  him 
due  to  the  attitude  of  the  consumer. 

Advertising  makes  goods  known  to  the  consumer,  it  makes 
more  goods  known  to  him,  and  it  familiarizes  him  with  the 
arguments  in  connection  with  the  various  commodities  in  such 
a  way  that  he  becomes  a  greater  buyer,  a  more  discriminating 
buyer,  and  a  critic  of  the  comparison  between  the  goods  and 
the  advertised  service  of  those  goods. 

The  consumer,  therefore,  requires  of  the  dealer  two  or  three 
things  which  he  did  not  formerly  demand.  His  knowledge 
makes  it  necessary  for  the  dealer  to  carry  the  stock  the  con- 
sumer asks  for  instead  of  using  his  own  judgment  upon  its 
value.  The  consumer,  by  asking  for  certain  brands,  makes  less 
claim  upon  the  dealer's  time,  because  of  the  fact  that  he  is 
already  sold,  and  demands  only  the  delivery  of  the  package. 
Further,  the  consumer  learning  from  the  advertising  of  the 
many  uses  for  the  product,  buys  more  of  it,  and  therefore  the 
individual  purchases  of  the  dealer  are  increased,  and  his  stock 
turns  over  with  greater  speed.  The  profit  from  the  increased 
speed  of  stock  turnover  is  so  much  more  than  any  other  item 
in  connection  with  an  individual  product  from  the  dealer  that 
this  is  naturally  the  controlling  one  in  measuring  the  value  of 
the  advertising  of  a  product  to  the  dealer. 

Value  to  the  Manufacturer 

The  value  of  advertising  to  the  manufacturer  is  simply  the 
expression  of  its  value  to  the  consumer,  dealer,  jobber,  and 
salesman. 


WAY  IN  WHICH  ADVERTISING  IS  USED  23 

The  value  to  the  consumer  is  in  increased  convenience  and 
service ;  the  value  to  the  retailer  is  in  increased  turnover  and 
decreased  selling  expense.  The  jobber  values  are  the  same, 
although  he  recognizes  them  least  of  any  distributor,  and  would 
like  to  hold  in  his  hand  the  brands  which  control  the  market. 
The  manufacturer's  advantage  comes  in  increased  market,  se- 
cured without  a  proportional  increase  in  expense. 

Of  course  the  possibility  of  securing  all  these  benefits  de- 
pends upon  the  proper  use  of  advertising,  and  is  by  no  means 
general  or  a  necessary  accompaniment  to  the  use  of  the  force 
without  regard  to  the  method  of  operation. 

Steam  as  such  has  within  it  the  power  to  do  all  the  things 
to  which  it  has  been  harnessed,  but  without  the  engine  and 
other  equipment  that  power  would  remain  useless,  and  the 
value  of  the  power  secured  is  in  direct  proportion  to  the  effi- 
ciency of  the  equipment  used  in  harnessing  the  steam. 

Advertising  is  a  power  —  the  power  of  publicity  —  and  the 
value  it  will  bring  to  any  commercial  organization  depends 
entirely  upon  the  way  in  which  it  is  harnessed  to  do  the  work, 
and  the  value  of  the  equipment  to  which  it  has  been  tied. 

The  above  economic  advantages  of  the  use  of  advertising 
in  business  represent  simply  what  is  possible,  with  the  present 
equipment,  to  secure,  if  the  equipment  be  properly  used.  There 
is  little  doubt  that  the  future  will/  see  a  vast  improvement  in 
advertising  and  tb::  amount  of  value  to  be  secured  out  of  it; 
but  at  present  th'  .e  considerations  represent  the  maximum  ad- 
vantages which  can  be  secured,  and  nothing  further  can  be 
expected  in  present  circumstances. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE   FACTORS    WHICH    DETERMINE   THE    KIND 
AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING 

Underlying  Conditions 

It  is  obvious  that,  as  advertising  is  a  force  the  value  of 
which  depends  upon  the  conditions  governing  its  application, 
the  factors  which  effect  such  application  must  be  assembled 
in  order  to  determine  its  feasibility  in  any  particular  case. 

There  are  a  number  of  physical  conditions  in  business  which 
affect  every  proposition  looking  to  the  use  of  advertising. 
These  conditions  can  be  determined  and  arranged  in  such  a  way 
as  to  give  some  indications  of  the  method  and  amount  of  ad- 
vertising necessary  in  order  to  accomplish  a  certain  definite 
result.  They  depend  upon  economic  rules  which  can  be  con- 
sidered and  from  which  the  particular  determinations  can  be 
made.  They  form  the  preliminary  items,  without  which  any 
decision  upon  an  appropriation  for  advertising  must  rest  on 
the  combination  of  guess  and  personal  experience  —  no  ade- 
quate basis  for  defining  th^  place  of  advertising  as  a  regular 
part  of  the  sales  operations. 

Factory  Organization  and  Output 

In  connection  with  products  of  a  staple  character  distributed 
direct  from  the  manufacturer  to  the  consumer,  the  conditions 
are  such  that  any  excessive  freight  charges,  any  differentia- 
tion which  will  increase  the  selling  price,  will  affect  the  possi- 
bility of  sale  quickly  and  in  a  large  degree.  In  these  circum- 
stances the  output  of  the  factory  should  be  sold  within  the 
smallest  possible  territory  immediately  tributary  thereto. 

24 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  25 

In  a  great  many  cases  where  the  product  is  a  specialty  sold 
direct  to  consumer  or  through  dealers,  the  possibilities  of  the 
consumption  are  such  that  the  output  could  be  absorbed  in  a 
much  smaller  radius  from  the  factory  than  is  usually  covered 
by  the  sales  organization,  provided  that  proper  intensive 
means  were  taken  to  develop  the  full  possibilities  of  the  ter- 
ritory. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  work  of  marketing  a  product,  the 
scheme  of  selling  rarely  involves  the  territory  planned  to  be 
ultimately  covered.  As  a  rule  there  is  a  progressive  extension 
of  territory,  and  this  extension  should  naturally  be  considered 
in  relation  to  the  factory  location  and  output. 

Furthermore,  it  is  not  always  wise  that  the  advertising 
should  follow  the  sales  organization ;  in  some  cases  it  must  be 
extended  beyond  the  reach  of  the  sales  force  in  order  to  do 
the  work  of  preparing  the  ground.  As  a  consequence,  it  is 
necessary  to  consider  the  advertising  not  only  from  the  point 
of  view  of  sales  organization,  but  independently  from  the  point 
of  view  of  the  factory  output  and  its  location  and  the  effect 
upon  the  sales  developments. 

Where  the  output  represents,  as  it  frequently  does,  only  a 
small  percentage  of  the  total  consumption  of  the  country,  it  is 
obvious  that  it  is  easy  to  make  the  advertising  plans  too  exten- 
sive territorially  for  the  necessities  of  the  case.  In  order 
to  avoid  this  danger  it  is  necessary  to  consider  thoroughly 
the  factors  mentioned.  Furthermore,  the  output  of  the  fac- 
tory as  it  is  at  present  may  not  represent  the  capacity  which 
can  easily  be  depended  upon  if  the  circumstances  warrant. 
The  advertising  arrangement  must  of  course  be  made  not  only 
with  respect  to  present  capacity,  but  with  respect  to  future 
possibilities. 

Rule.  The  ideal  condition  as  to  trade  may  be  stated  as 
that  condition  under  which  the  output  of  the  factory  is  sold 
through  the  smallest  area  of  territory  which  can  be  allowed 


26  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

under  the  prevailing  conditions  of  consumption  and  competi- 
tion. Such  an  ideal  state  means  the  smallest  unit  sales  and 
advertising  cost,  and  consequently  the  least  burden  upon  the 
goods. 

Consumption 

Having  considered  the  factory  location  and  output,  it  is 
necessary  to  determine  the  consumption  of  the  product  in 
question ;  examining  the  territory  as  a  whole,  and  state  by 
state;  the  consumption  per  capita  or  other  buying  unit,  and 
the  consumption  per  square  mile  or  other  area  unit. 

In  the  case  of  some  problems  of  specialized  appeal  to  a  par- 
ticular group  of  buyers,  the  consumption  figures  must  of  ne- 
cessity be  arranged  for  the  conditions  of  such  a  group  or 
groups. 

For  a  technical  product  sold  to  a  certain  definite  group  of 
manufacturers,  the  consumption  would  have  to  be  figured 
in  zones  from  the  important  centers  of  their  manufacturing 
activities,  based  upon  the  average  output  per  factory  within 
these  zones.  A  similar  calculation  would  have  to  be  made 
in  regard  to  the  area  consumption  within  each  zone. 

The  total  consumption  in  the  territory  will  show  us  the  per- 
centage of  the  business  which  it  will  be  necessary  for  us  to 
get  in  order  to  take  care  of  our  present  output.  It  will  also 
indicate  whether  an  extension  of  the  business  to  the  future 
capacity  of  the  plant  would  mean  an  extension  of  the  territory 
or  whether  it  could  be  taken  care  of  by  an  increase  in  the 
percentage  in  the  same  territory. 

It  will  enable  us  to  consider  the  relative  profit  to  be  secured 
upon  the  individual  in  proportion  to  the  cost  of  reaching  him 
by  advertising ;  and  furthermore,  it  will  determine  for  us  the 
cost  proportionally  with  the  consumption  of  the  time  and  ex- 
penses of  the  sales  force  per  unit  in  developing  their  per- 
centage of  the  business. 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  V 

For  instance,  if  the  total  consumption  of  the  business  in 
the  territory  is  1,000,000  units,  and  the  output  is  100,000 
units,  it  will  be  necessary  for  us  to  get  10  per  cent  of  the 
business.  If,  then,  the  population  of  the  territory  is  10,- 
000,000,  the  per  capita  consumption  would  be  one-tenth  of 
one  unit.  Suppose  that  in  order  to  develop  the  one-tenth  of 
one  unit  business  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  reach  each  person 
five  times  in  the  course  of  the  year  by  advertising;  then  the 
expense  in  proportion  would  be 

Price  of  one-tenth  unit 


Cost  of  reaching  person  five  times 


Or  if  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  determine  the  number  of 
times  we  should  need  to  reach  the  person,  we  could  figure  the 
price  we  should  secure  for  the  one-tenth  of  one  unit,  determine 
the  gross  profit,  and  from  that  consider  an  arbitrary  percent- 
age for  advertising,  and  consequently  determine  the  amount 
we  could  spend  on  each  person  to  get  the  business. 

In  respect  to  the  square-mile  consumption,  referring  back 
to  the  same  figures,  suppose  that  the  square-mile  consumption 
is  100  units,  the  percentage  which  could  be  secured  would  be 
10  units.  The  gross  revenue  from  10  units  balanced  against 
the  time  and  expense  of  the  salesmen  to  cover  the  square  mile 
would  give  us  the  actual  cost  of  the  selling  operation  apart 
from  the  administration  or  the  advertising;  that  is. 

Price  of  10  units 


Tune  and  expense  salesman  i  square  mile 

With  factory  location  and  output  and  these  details  of  con- 
sumption, we  could  therefore  make  a  preliminary  estimate  of 
the  following  factors : 

I.  The  percentage  of  the  possible  business  which  must  be 
taken  in  order  to  agree  with  the  output. 


28  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

2.  The  territorial  extent  of  operations. 

3.  The  possible  advertising  expense  per  buying  unit. 

4.  The  possible  unit  sales  expense. 

Competition 

There  are  modifying  factors,  however,  which  will  have  a 
tendency  to  rearrange  the  above  estimates,  so  that  they  will 
assume  different  values.  These  factors  arise  from  the  con- 
dition of  the  competition  involved  in  the  particular  problem 
at  issue.  The  extent,  the  character  of  the  competition,  the 
length  of  time  through  which  the  various  competitors  have 
been  in  business,  the  character  of  their  sales  and  advertising 
policy,  etc.,  will  modify  the  conditions  under  which  we  can 
expect  to  do  business. 

For  instance,  if  the  number  of  competitors  is  large,  and  the 
control  which  they  exercise  over  the  business  strong,  it  may 
be  possible  for  us  to  secure  only  5  per  cent  of  the  business 
instead  of  10  per  cent;  in  which  case  the  territorial  limits 
would  be  very  much  extended.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the 
number  of  competitors  was  small,  and  their  hold  upon  the 
business  weak,  it  might  be  possible  to  secure  20  per  cent  of 
the  business ;  in  which  case,  we  could  reduce  our  territorial 
limitations,  and  considerably  reduce  our  other  expenses. 

It  is  obvious  that  if  we  can  secure  only  5  per  cent  of  the 
business,  our  square-mile  selling  expense  and  the  per  capita  ad- 
vertising expense  will  be  correspondingly  increased,  so  that 
the  operating  charges  in  the  sale  of  the  product  will  be  ma- 
terially altered;  and  it  is  equally  apparent  that  an  increase  in 
the  percentage  of  the  business  to  be  secured  territorial!}'  will 
decrease  correspondingly  these  expenses. 

Suppose  a  square-mile  consumption  of  100  units,  10  per 
cent  would  mean  10  units,  5  per  cent  5  units;  but  the  cost  of 
traveling  a  salesman  over  that  square  mile  would  be  virtually 
the  same,  so  that  in  the  one  case  we  should  have : 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  29 

Value  of  10  units  ^o  Value  of  5  units 


Cost  of  time  and  expense      against      Cost  of  time  and  expense 
I  square  mile  i  square  mile 

It  is  obvious  that  the  conditions  are  largely  determined  by 
the  character  and  extent  of  competition. 

The  proper  estimate  of  the  competitive  factors  in  connec- 
tion with  the  foregoing  factors  is  of  the  utmost  importance  in 
order  to  give  us  a  proper  basis  for  considering  the  expense 
and  possibilities  involved  in  the  advertising  and  selling  plans. 

The  strength  of  the  individual  competitor  and  the  number 
of  competitors,  together  with  the  consumption  and  output, 
will  give : 

1.  The  percentage  of  business  per  square  mile  which  is  the 

possible  limit  to  be  considered  within  a  reasonable 
time. 

2.  The  square-mile  selling  and  the  per-capita  advertising 

expense  in  relation  to  the  output. 

3.  The  extent  of  territory  to  be  covered. 

4.  The  value  of  competitive  sales  plans. 

5.  The  value  of  competitive  advertising  plans. 

6.  The   extent   of   the   discrimination   in   the   consumer's 

buying  habit  and  the  value  of  the  advertising  in  this 
connection. 

It  is  obvious  that  in  many  lines  of  business  the  economies 
resulting  from  an  increase  of  production  will  outweigh  the 
increase  in  marketing  costs  which  may  be  caused  by  larger 
area  of  sales  through  less  valuable  territory.  It  is  also  obvious 
that  the  increased  sale  of  a  product,  due  to  spreading  over 
greater  areas  of  less  average  yield  per  buying  unit  or  area 
unit,  though  secured  at  a  greater  percentage  of  operating 
cost,  may  in  some  cases  permit  of  larger  returns  on  the  capital 
invested  in  the  concern,  and  therefore  still  be  attractive  to  the 
stockholders. 


30  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Prices 

As  a  natural  sequence  to  the  consideration  of  competition 
and  its  general  form,  the  question  of  price  has  a  very  con- 
siderable bearing  not  only  upon  the  possibilities  of  the  market, 
but  upon  the  policy  which  will  govern  the  marketing  effort. 

While  the  market  price  at  which  an  article  is  to  be  sold 
should  be  based  upon  the  cost  and  the  value  of  the  service 
rendered  by  the  manufacturer  in  making  and  selling  it,  the 
condition  of  the  buying  public,  the  extent  of  the  supply,  the 
fact  that  in  most  manufactured  lines  there  is  a  surplus  of 
product,  determine  the  price  at  which  the  product  can  be  sold 
in  order  to  secure  certain  percentages  of  the  business. 

In  the  marketing  of  the  great  staple  commodities  which 
are  known  by  their  generic  term,  and  sold  in  bulk,  the  cost  of 
handling  to  the  individual  producer  or  manufacturer  is  of  no 
account  in  the  consideration  of  the  market,  for  the  price  which 
can  be  quoted  is  limited  to  a  very  small  fraction  over  and 
above  the  general  price  which  supply  and  demand  have  es- 
tablished at  the  time.  In  some  cases,  in  fact,  the  market  is 
so  general  a  consideration  that  even  the  slightest  fraction  above 
the  quoted  price  is  enough  to  destroy  the  possibility  of  sale, 
and  a  very  few  quotations  below  the  established  price  are 
enough  to  break  it. 

In  all  cases  where  manufactured  articles  are  bought  with 
more  or  less  discrimination  between  the  particular  manufac- 
turers, and  which  reach  the  user  in  such  a  way  that  their  par- 
ticular origin  can  be  identified,  the  range  of  prices  is  wider, 
and  the  possibility  of  securing  a  larger  or  a  smaller  price  is 
dependent  almost  entirely  upon  the  value  of  the  individual 
service  in  proportion  to  the  strength  of  the  buying  habit  which 
it  fills. 

This  is  true,  however,  only  to  a  limited  extent,  because  the 
conditions  which  govern  the  buying  possibility  of  the  con- 
sumer in  general  in  any  country  show  that  the  majority  per- 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  31 

centage  of  such  consumers  are  obliged  to  figure  cost  so  closely 
that  price  will  be  almost  a  controlling  influence  upon  the 
amount  of  business  which  can  be  secured  in  connection  with 
a  large  percentage  of  the  population. 

Price  and  Value 

If  the  contemplated  condition  in  any  particular  instance  is 
the  control  of  40,  50,  or  a  larger  per  cent  of  the  market,  the 
price  must  be  always  a  controlling  factor,  because  of  the  fact 
that  by  far  the  larger  proportion  of  the  population  are  unable 
in  their  buying  to  lose  sight  of  the  cost  factor.  Wherever  the 
percentages  of  business  required  are  smaller,  the  price  ques- 
tion is  of  little  importance  compared  with  the  value  question, 
which  is  a  component  of  the  price  and  the  service.  A  certain 
proportion  of  the  people  who  must  always  and  eternally  figure 
on  every  penny  of  expenditure,  and  all  but  a  small  percentage 
who  are  removed  from  that  consideration,  can  be  induced  to 
pay  very  much  higher  prices  than  those  represented  by  the 
majority  market,  even  to  the  extent  of  two  or  three  times  the 
prices  in  some  cases  where  the  consumer  has  a  habit  of  dis- 
criminating. 

It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  the  percentage  of  business 
which  must  be  taken  to  meet  output  will  have  a  considerable 
bearing  upon  the  price  which  can  be  secured.  In  its  turn  the 
price  which  can  be  secured  will  have  a  very  great  bearing  upon 
the  policy,  arguments,  and  conditions  of  sale  which  will  form 
the  background  in  the  sales  work  of  the  organization. 

Packages  —  Size 

As  a  corollary  to  the  price,  the  package  is  of  very  great 
importance  in  considering  the  fundamentals  of  the  advertising 
investigation.  It  is  possible  to  get  along  with  a  package  which 
is  not  entirely  the  acme  of  convenience  or  attractiveness  where 
the  public  is  being  won  over  by  the  slow  process  of  individual 


32  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

selling  and  no  public  opinion  is  being  formed  for  or  against 
the  material;  but  where  it  is  desirable  to  go  out  publicly,  to 
turn  the  attention  of  all  consumers  to  the  goods  and  particu- 
larly to  the  package,  which  identifies  the  goods,  it  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  that  this  package  should  carry  an  addi- 
tional argument  in  favor  of  the  commodity  rather  than  an 
argument  against  it. 

It  would  be  just  as  easy  by  advertising  with  an  incon- 
venient package  in  connection  with  a  commodity  to  turn  the 
consumer  definitely  against  the  use  of  that  commodity  as  it  is 
to  turn  the  consumer  definitely  toward  the  commodity  when 
the  advertising  is  properly  arranged.  Furthermore,  in  most 
cases  where  packages  of  various  sizes  are  made  up  for  use 
upon  the  market,  it  will  be  found  that  there  is  a  wide  differ- 
ence in  the  capacity  for  sale  of  the  different  sizes  of  packages. 
In  investigating  the  condition  in  regard  to  the  packages  used 
in  a  number  of  different  lines,  it  has  been  found  that  only 
from  one-third  to  one-sixth  of  the  number  of  packages  or- 
dinarily supplied  by  a  manufacturer  attain  any  large  percent- 
age of  sale,  the  remaining  two-thirds  or  more  being  for  the 
occasional  purchaser. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  would  seem  that  any  manu- 
facturer going  into  such  a  field  would  investigate  very  care- 
fully the  popularity  of  the  different  sizes  of  package ;  but  a 
study  of  the  history  of  the  packages  of  different  concerns  will 
show  that  no  such  analysis  has  been  made  in  the  large  ma- 
jority of  cases.  In  one  case,  where  the  popular  package  was 
a  certain  size,  a  new  manufacturer  having  unusual  facilities 
for  turning  out  the  product  very  cheaply,  determined  to  put 
upon  the  market  a  package  of  twice  the  size  for  the  same  price. 
On  the  face  of  it  this  would  have  been  an  excellent  thing,  as 
it  would  have  meant  an  increased  service  and  a  corsequent 
saving.  The  amount  of  material  used  by  the  average  con- 
sumer was  so  small,  however,  that  there  was  virtually  no  ob- 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  33 

ject  in  saving  it,  and  a  larger  package  was  so  much  more  in- 
convenient to  handle  that  it  defeated  its  own  object. 

Packages  —  Individuality 

The  most  important  item  outside  of  the  size  of  the  package 
is  of  course  the  attractive  character  of  the  package  and  its  in- 
dividuality. It  is  astonishing,  however,  to  find  that  in  many 
competing  lines  the  packages  are  almost  exactly  alike,  just  as 
the  trade-mark  student  will  fmd  that  in  competing  lines  many 
of  the  trade-marks  are  almost  alike.  Inasmuch  as  the  object 
of  identifying  the  product  by  placing  it  in  a  package  which 
will  reach  the  hands  of  consumers  is  to  establish  an  indi- 
viduality for  that  product,  it  seems  the  height  of  absurdity  to 
destroy  the  value  of  that  impression  by  making  the  packages  as 
nearly  similar  as  they  can  be  made  without  infringing  the  un- 
fair competition  laws. 

A  further  consideration  in  connection  with  the  package  is 
the  question  of  its  attractiveness  from  the  point  of  view  of 
keeping  pace  with  the  requirements  of  the  value  and  price  of 
the  commodity.  Much  more  attention  is  being  paid  to  this 
matter  in  the  last  few  years  since  advertising  began  to  take 
advantage  of  the  package  in  its  work.  The  package,  where 
the  article  is  of  general  consumption,  forms  the  most  continu- 
ous reminder  of  the  existence  of  the  product  of  all  forms  of 
advertising,  and  it  should  have  more  care  than  any  other  item 
connected  with  the  sale  of  the  article.  It  has  always  been  a 
matter  of  considerable  curiosity  to  the  writer  as  to  why  the 
cost  of  the  package  should  have  been  included  as  a  part  of  the 
manufacturing  expense,  and  so  determined  in  so  many  cases 
from  a  manufacturing  point  of  view,  instead  of  from  a  sales 
point  of  view.  It  is  capable  of  becoming  such  a  large  factor 
in  the  selling  of  the  commodity  that  attention  to  its  appear- 
ance, even  to  the  extent  of  increasing  its  cost,  is  usually  entirely 
justified  by  the  increased  sales  value  which  results  therefrom. 


34  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Amount  of  Individual  Purchase 

The  amount  involved  in  the  individual  purchase  of  a  com- 
modity, in  terms  both  of  quantity  and  value,  is  a  direct  indica- 
tion of  the  lines  of  distribution  which  must  be  followed  in 
transmitting  the  goods  from  factory  to  consumer.  It  has, 
however,  an  additional  value  in  illustrating  the  amount  of 
effort  which  is  required  in  the  response  of  the  purchaser  to  the 
buying  necessity.  It  is  further  of  value  in  its  indication  of  the 
extent  to  which  quantity  has  any  influence  upon  the  buying 
habit,  and  the  degree  with  which  a  difference  in  cost  would 
affect  the  purchase. 

For  instance,  where  an  article  is  used  in  small  quantities 
so  that  even  the  smallest  package  of  it  will  last  a  considerable 
time,  the  individual  purchase  is  almost  invariably  made  by  the 
small  package,  although  the  quantity  is  proportionately  less 
for  the  price  in  that  case.  It  has  been  found  also  that  in  these 
cases  a  larger  quantity  for  the  same  price  will  not  appeal 
particularly,  because  the  use  is  so  limited  that  the  necessity 
for  a  larger  quantity  is  remote  and  the  offer  of  it  frequently 
brings  a  suspicion  of  reduced  quality.  This  is  particularly  the 
case  where  the  article  in  question  in  the  quantity  required  by 
the  purchaser  can  be  bought  for  a  few  cents.  If  it  is  possible 
to  buy  a  package  of  a  particular  commodity  for  5  cents  which 
will  last  the  average  person  three  months,  there  will  be  no 
point  in  selling  an  eight  months'  supply  for  10  cents.  The 
individual  purchaser  would  rather  buy  the  three  months'  sup- 
ply at  5  cents  than  the  eight  months'  supply  at  10  cents ;  be- 
cause the  quantity  used  is  so  insignificant,  it  is  more  convenient 
to  handle  the  smaller  package  with  the  smaller  outlay  than  it 
is  to  secure  the  ultimate  saving  by  the  larger  package  with  the 
larger  outlay.  Even  where  a  much  larger  supply  can  be  given 
for  a  slightly  increased  price  (as  for  instance,  an  increase  from 
10  cents  to  15  cents,  with  a  double  amount  of  material)  the 
inducement  is  not  sufficient  to  balance  the  inconvenience  of 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  35 

buying  for  storage  so  long  ahead,  of  keeping  a  larger  package 
and  paying  the  additional  amount. 

Number  of  Individual  Purchases  Per  Year 

In  connection  with  the  amount  of  the  individual  purchase, 
the  number  of  such  purchases  is  very  important,  because  of  the 
indication  which  it  gives  of  the  proportionate  amount  which 
can  be  devoted  to  the  publicity  work  to  the  individual. 

It  is  obvious  that  the  5  cent  article  which  is  bought  300 
times  a  year  will  permit  of  a  much  larger  advertising  ex- 
penditure per  individual  than  the  15  cent  article  which  is 
bought  25  times  a  year.  It  will  also  indicate  in  connection 
with  the  foregoing  factor  whether  the  buying  habit  is  one  of 
daily  routine,  or  occasional  requirement  or  of  regular  but  spe- 
cial necessity.  From  this  standpoint  it  will  give  some  definite 
idea  as  to  the  value  of  the  buying  habit  and  as  to  its  strength 
in  discrimination.  These  indications  will  help  determine  the 
length  of  time  to  be  consumed  in  arriving  at  a  certain  per- 
centage of  business  and  consequently  the  amount  of  money 
which  must  be  spent  in  order  to  secure  the  market. 

The  Amount  Per  Unit  Per  1,000  Allowable  for  Advertising 

Having  the  foregoing  figures  all  worked  out  and  thoroughly 
determined,  it  is  possible  reasonably  to  assume  an  allowable 
advertising  cost  per  unit  for  material  to  the  capacity  of  the 
factory.  It  is  obvious,  of  course,  that  the  amount  to  be  spent 
each  year  in  securing  the  market  should  not  be  in  excess  of 
the  allowance  based  upon  the  total  capacity  of  the  plant.  This 
means  that  at  no  point  in  the  development  of  the  market  should 
the  advertising  expense  be  larger  than  must  be  allowed  to 
maintain  the  market  after  it  has  developed  suflicient  business 
to  run  it  to  capacity.  Having  developed  the  percentage  of  the 
consumption  which  is  involved  in  the  factory  output,  the 
character  and  the  extent  of  the  competition  and  competitive 


36  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

prices,  the  packages  used,  the  amount  and  frequency  of  the 
individual  purchase,  and  the  market  limitations,  these  factors 
will  permit  a  reasonable  estimate  of  the  length  of  time  required 
to  obtain  a  market  for  the  factory  output. 

The  manufacturing  costs,  the  square-mile  consumption  in 
proportion  to  the  square-mile  selling  expense,  plus  a  reason- 
able charge  for  administration,  will  give  the  total  cost  in  per- 
centage of  the  market  value  of  the  unit.  Figuring  the  possible 
percentage  of  profit,  the  stability  of  the  business,  etc.,  it  is 
possible  to  make  a  reasonable  estimate  as  to  the  percentage  of 
individual  unit  price  which  can  profitably  be  turned  into  ad- 
vertising for  the  purpose  of  securing  and  maintaining  the  mar- 
ket for  the  output. 

The  factors  which  are  unknown  are  so  few  in  the  equation 
which  must  be  made,  that  it  is  possible  to  determine  within 
reasonable  limits  the  value  which  must  Idc  given  to  them  in 
the  equation  so  that  the  whole  matter  may  be  reduced  to  a 
reasonable  estimate  as  to  the  value  or  otherwise  of  the  ad- 
vertising. 

The  Possibility  of  Economic  Use 

It  is  said  by  some  students  of  advertising  that  it  can  be 
economically  used  in  connection  with  all  kinds  of  industry, 
and  it  may  be  that  in  the  future  this  will  be  possible.  Knowl- 
edge of  its  principles  and  requirements  is  undoubtedly  in- 
creasing rapidly  enough  to  permit  the  application  of  adver- 
tising to  many  things  which  formerly  were  without  its  range. 
It  is  still,  however,  of  little  or  no  value  in  connection  with 
large  departments  of  industry,  and  in  connection  with  others 
its  value  is  so  limited  that  it  becomes  an  insignificant  part  of 
the  selling  scheme.  It  may  be  stated  that  the  economic  value 
of  advertising  in  connection  with  any  business  is  in  proportion 
to  the  extent  and  discrimination  of  the  buying  halMt.  Prac- 
tically  all   staple  articles  are   bought   without   discrimination 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  37 

between  individual  producers;  they  have  no  identity  other 
than  a  general  one;  they  are,  as  a  rule,  carefully  graded  into 
qualities,  standardized  and  settled,  so  that  there  will  be  no 
motive  in  attempting  any  individuality.  For  these  things 
advertising  is  of  no  economic  advantage.  With  such  staples 
the  buying  habit  cannot  be  materially  affected  by  anything 
except  a  change  in  the  economic  status  of  the  population  or  a 
change  in  the  price  of  the  staple  itself. 

Its  economic  value  is  small  although  definite  where  the 
articles  are  not  staples  but  dependent  to  some  degree  upon  in- 
dividual skill  and  service,  although  they  reach  the  user  in  un- 
identified condition  and  although  they  are  bought  largely  upon 
the  price  considerations.  Knowledge  of  this  class  of  goods 
and  of  individual  service  in  connection  with  them  is  important 
in  the  welfare  of  the  business,  and  such  knowledge  can  be 
transmitted  by  advertising. 

Greatest  with  Specialized  Goods 

From  this  up  to  the  point  where  advertising  conducts  the 
whole  effort  of  selling,  the  economic  status  increases  in  im- 
portance. The  general  division  of  industry  into  which  falls 
the  particular  proposition  in  question  will  govern  the  economic 
use  of  advertising  apart  from  the  factors  previously  considered 
in  this  chapter. 

In  other  words,  if  the  other  factors  have  been  considered, 
the  value  of  the  advertising  must  be  determined  from  its  in- 
fluence upon  the  industry  generally,  and  this  will  be  in  direct 
proportion  to  its  economic  value  from  its  influence  upon  the 
buying  habit. 

For  instance,  if  it  is  possible  in  the  case  of  a  specialty,  direct 
to  the  consumer,  of  considerable  value  —  such  as  large  gen- 
erating units  —  to  determine  the  feasibility  of  advertising  from 
the  factors  previously  mentioned,  it  will  then  be  necessary  to 
consider  the  influence  which  can   be  exerted  by  advertising 


38  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Upon  the  selling  cost  of  the  material.  In  this  case  the  in- 
fluence will  be  entirely  that  of  relieving  the  selling  force  of 
some  of  the  tedious  preliminary  work  and  so  increasing  its 
efficiency. 

Presuming  that  in  this  case  the  advertising  will  increase  the 
efficiency  of  the  sales  force  5  per  cent,  then  the  cost  of  ad- 
vertising must  bear  the  same  relation  to  that  5  per  cent  in- 
crease that  the  selling  expense  would  to  the  original  gross 
revenue.  In  other  words,  suppose  that  with  the  selling  force 
it  is  possible  to  do  $200,000  worth  of  business  at  an  expense 
of  $30,000,  and,  with  the  advertising,  to  increase  that  to 
$230,000,  then  the  cost  of  the  advertising  to  be  within  eco- 
nomic limits  should  be  not  more  than  $4,500. 

Information  Required  before  Advertising 

Some  attention  has  been  given  to  the  economic  factors 
which  enter  into  advertising,  and  to  the  relation  which  ad- 
vertising bears  to  the  rest  of  the  business,  but  this  has  not  been 
stated  in  such  form  as  to  give  an  exact  indication  of  all  that 
must  be  understood  before  the  advertising  can  be  begun  as  an 
operation  and  even  before  the  plan  can  be  completed. 

Inasmuch  as  advertising  is  a  part  of  the  marketing  operation 
and  depends  for  its  success  upon  the  consideration  of  the  same 
fundamentals  which  must  be  investigated  in  order  to  ha\'e  an 
intelligent  sales  policy,  much  of  the  preliminary  information 
which  is  required  for  the  planning  of  advertising  ought  to  be 
already  at  hand,  except  in  the  case  of  new  organizations  where 
there  has  been  no  opportunity  to  develop  it. 

It  is  unfortunately  the  fact,  however,  that  comparatively 
little  analysis  has  been  made  of  the  marketing  requirements 
of  a  business  so  that  the  necessity  for  certain  information  has 
not  been  thoroughly  understood.  It  is  quite  likely  that  in  a 
great  many  cases  further  investigation  and  accumulation  of 
statistics  are  necessary  in  order  to  give  the  information  upon 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  39 

which  an  intelHgent  advertising  plan  can  be  based  —  one  which 
can  be  followed  with  the  assurance  of  lasting  success. 

It  is  relatively  more  important  that  this  information  should 
be  at  hand  when  advertising  is  proposed,  because  of  the  limi- 
tation in  the  advertising  operations  and  mass  consideration. 
xA.ny  mistake  or  lack  of  information  at  such  a  time  would 
be  very  serious.  In  this  respect  the  sales  work  of  a  per- 
sonal selling  department  is  more  flexible  than  the  advertis- 
ing and  can  be  more  readily  accommodated  to  meet  the 
changes  brought  about  by  further  information.  Change  in 
advertising  policy  is  an  expensive  and  difficult  matter  and  the 
information  must,  therefore,  be  at  hand  before  the  adver- 
tising is  begun  so  that  the  necessity  for  change  in  policy  will 
be  less  likely  to  arise. 

Different  Situation  from  Personal  Selling 

The  personal  selling  department  bears  the  same  relation 
to  advertising  that  hand  operations  bear  to  machine  opera- 
tions. In  hand  work  the  artisan  making  a  mistake  in  his 
operation  may  by  unusual  skill  overcome  the  difficulty  of  that 
mistake,  or  even  turn  it  to  advantage.  Some  of  the  most 
beautiful  hand  work  has  been  finished  in  a  somewhat  different 
form  from  that  projected.  When  the  machine  is  used,  how- 
ever, the  operation  must  be  exact.  If  anything  occurs  to  the 
machine  to  destroy  the  exactness  of  its  operation,  the  results 
of  operation  are  the  destruction  of  the  piece  and  the  machine 
itself  may  he  seriously  damaged  by  such  disturbance. 

The  individual  operation  of  selling  is  sufficiently  flexible  to 
make  it  possible  to  overcome  some  of  the  difficulties  which 
present  themselves  as  the  selling  organization  develops.  In 
fact  the  planning  of  selling  in  most  organizations  which  have 
been  working  along  those  lines  for  some  time  is  the  result 
not  of  a  definitely  fixed  policy,  planned  in  the  first  place,  but 
of  a  growth  from  the  accumulation  of  individual  experience. 


40  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Advertising,  on  the  other  hand,  is  sufficiently  fixed  and  lim- 
ited in  its  operation  to  partake  more  of  the  machine  character 
and  to  require  consequently  more  exactitude  in  its  develop- 
ment. It  must  be  figured  a  long  time  in  advance.  The  argu- 
ments, the  packages,  the  conditions  of  sale,  the  question  of 
guaranties  or  consumer  service,  must  be  worked  out  so  that  they 
will  avoid  all  those  difficulties  which  might  ruin  the  capacity 
of  the  machine  for  its  work  as  well  as  seriously  affect  the 
value  of  the  work.  In  consequence  of  this  the  preliminary 
information  to  be  used  in  considering  an  advertising  plan  must 
be  thoroughly  w'orked  out  so  that  the  plan  will  be  feasible  and 
workable  over  the  period  of  time  required  for  its  consumma- 
tion. 

First  General  Consideration  —  Production 

There  are  three  general  divisions  to  be  considered  in  ar- 
riving at  the  information  which  is  necessary  for  the  planning 
of  the  advertising.  The  first  of  these  is  the  production  and 
its  relation  to  competition  and  consumption,  the  subsidiary 
factors  of  which  are  as  follows  : 

1.  The  present  factory  output. 

2.  The  maximum  factory  capacity. 

3.  The  total  consumption  in  the  territory  to  be  considered. 

4.  The  factory  output  in  percentage  of  this  consumption. 

5.  The  factory  capacity  in  percentage  of  this  consumption. 

6.  The  consumption  by  states  or  other  territorial  divi- 

sions. 

7.  The     consumption     by    population     areas  —  that     is, 

whether  the  consumption  depends  upon  a  large  com- 
munity, whether  it  is  equally  divided  in  proportion 
to  the  population  of  any  community,  or  whether  it 
is  principally  in  the  smaller  community  and  country. 

8.  The  number  of  principal  competitors  and  if  possible 

the  total  number  of  competitors. 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  41 

9.  The  percentage  of  business  secured  by  each  of  the  prin- 
cipal competitors. 

10.  The  packages  as  to  size  and  condition,  the  grades  or 

divisions  of  the  articles  sold  by  competitors,  and  the 
relative  proportion  of  the  business  secured  by  each 
size,  grade,  or  other  division. 

1 1.  Competitive  prices  to  the  consumer  and  distributors. 

Second  Consideration  —  Marketing 

The  second  general  division  is  the  marketing  in  rela^^ion 
to  the  consumption  and  competition,  and  the  subsidiary  factors 
in  this  case  are : 

1.  The  unit  area  consumption  in  the  different  territorial 

divisions. 

2.  The  per  capita  consumption  in  these  different  territorial 

divisions. 

3.  The  relative  strength  of  the  principal  competitors  in 

these  territorial  divisions. 

4.  Prices  and  their  variation  territorially. 

5.  The  increase  or  decrease  territorially  in  consumption 

over  a  period  of  years  and  the  consequent  illumina- 
tion of  the  tendencies  of  the  market. 

Third  Consideration  —  Sales  and  Advertising  Organization 

The  third  general  division  of  this  information  is  the  sales 
and  advertising  organization  and  its  relation  to  the  consump- 
tion and  competition,  and  the  subsidiary  factors  in  this  case 
are : 

1.  The  unit  area  consumption  in  the  different  territorial 

divisions   and   consequently   the    relative   percentage 
selling  expense. 

2.  The  per  capita  consumption  in  these  different  divisions 

and  consequently  the  relative  percentage  advertising 
expense. 


42  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

3.  The  increase   or  decrease  of   this  consumption   terri- 

torially and  consequently  the  probable  future  tendency 
of  such  cost. 

4.  The  character  of  the  sales  organization  of  competitors 

in  relation  to  their  strength. 

5.  The  character  of  the  sales  organization  of  competitors 

in  relation  to  their  distributing  area. 

6.  The  relative  strength  of  advertised  and  unadvertised 

brands. 

7.  The  character  of  the  advertising  and  its  relation  to  the 

relative  strength  of  the  advertised  brands. 

8.  The  territorial  distribution  of  advertising,  its  relation 

to    the    territorial    consumption    and    the    territorial 
strength  of  the  advertising  competitor. 

9.  The  size  of  the  individual  purchase,  the  number  of  pur- 

chases per  year,  and  the  strength  of  the  buying  habit. 

Significant  Points 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  factors  which  are  arranged  under 
the  first  general  heading  wMll  show  the  percentage  of  the  total 
consumption  (as  at  present  indicated)  which  must  be  secured 
to  get  rid  of  the  present  output  and  the  percentage  of  total 
consumption  which  must  be  secured  in  the  future  to  take  care 
of  the  maximum  capacity  of  the  plant. 

The  territorial  consumption  will  show  the  strength  of  the 
different  divisions  of  territory  from  a  consumer  standpoint, 
indicating  the  most  productive  and  those  which  are  of  less 
value. 

The  division  of  this  consumption  and  its  relation  to  large 
and  small  communities  will  show  whether  the  sales  effort  must 
be  concentrated  in  a  comparatively  small  area  or  whether  it 
must  be  wide-spread  in  order  to  secure  the  result. 

The  number  of  competitors  will  indicate  the  diversity  of 
appeal  to  the  buyer,  the  ease  with  which  the  business  can  be 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  43 

entered,  and  the  attractiveness  from  the  standpoint  of  profit 
or  requirements. 

The  strength  of  the  principal  competitors,  as  noted  under  the 
second  general  heading  above,  will  indicate  this  condition  more 
closely  by  demonstrating  the  amount  of  total  consumption 
which  can  be  concentrated  in  the  hands  of  a  few  concerns. 
The  size  of  the  largest  competitors  will  indicate  the  prob- 
able limits  in  percentage  of  consumption  which  can  reasonably 
be  expected  for  the  new  organization. 

The  square  mile  and  per  capita  factors  mentioned  under 
this  heading  will  illustrate  the  percentage  of  actual  sales  ex- 
pense and  advertising  expense  which  must  be  considered  if  the 
whole  territory  is  covered,  and  also  the  possibility  of  reducing 
that  territory  by  seizing  only  the  most  productive,  and  the 
effect  which  this  would  have  upon  the  percentage  of  advertis- 
ing and  selling  expense. 

The  figures  on  the  amount  of  the  individual  purchase  and 
the  number  of  purchases  per  year  will  check  up  on  the  fore- 
going amount  which  each  consumer  takes.  They  will  reveal 
the  rapidity  of  the  movement  through  the  dealer's  hands  and 
the  effect  of  package  convenience  and  other  items  upon  the 
individual  purchases. 

The  reduction  of  all  the  items  under  this  heading  to  the 
territorial  divisions  will  indicate  the  desirable  territories  from 
the  standpoint  of  expense  and  output,  and  will  make  it  pos- 
sible to  concentrate  upon  the  important  territories  so  that  the 
sales  and  advertising  expense  are  kept  at  a  minimum  and  the 
efficiency  of  trade  condition  correspondingly  increased. 

Useful  Comparison 

The  factors  under  the  third  division  illustrate  very  fully 
the  success  which  has  attended  the  use  of  certain  sales  meth- 
ods and  organization  policies  and  the  value  of  these  methods, 
prices  and  arguments  in  connection  with  the  goods  which  the 


44  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

competitors  are  distributing.  The  character  of  these  sales 
organizations  taken  in  conjunction  with  the  relative  strength 
of  the  competitive  concerns  will  determine  the  relative  im- 
portance of  the  different  methods  and  policies  employed.  This 
same  thing  is  true  in  connection  with  the  advertising,  except 
that  the  comparison  in  this  case  is  much  easier  because  of  the 
public  character  of  advertising  and  the  fact  that  the  methods 
can  be  determined  more  readily  and  the  underlying  policy 
more  thoroughly  secured. 

Comparison  of  advertising  with  the  strength  of  the  adver- 
tised and  unadvertised  brands  will  indicate  the  value  of  this 
advertising  per  se  from  the  customer's  standpoint  and  the 
value  of  the  different  methods  in  proportion. 

Furthermore,  the  strength  of  the  advertised  brands  in  com- 
parison with  the  strength  of  unadvertised  brands  will  deter- 
mine the  discrimination  in  the  consumer's  buying  habit  and 
the  extent  to  which  the  advertising  can  express  in  valuable 
terms  to  the  consumer  the  individuality  of  the  services  ren- 
dered by  the  advertised  product. 

Exceptional  Case 

There  are  some  cases  in  which  the  information  developed 
will  not  give  these  indications  as  they  are  expressed  in  this 
estimate.  Where  so  large  a  proportion  of  the  business  is  in 
the  control  of  one  organization,  or  one  group  of  organizations, 
as  virtually  to  amount  to  monopoly,  the  control  of  the  pro- 
ductive capacity  of  manufacturing  plants  in  these  cases  may  be 
sufficient  to  outweigh  a  good  many  weaknesses  and  deficiencies 
in  the  marketing  scheme  so  that  the  strength  of  the  marketing 
organization  may  not  be  equal  to  that  indicated  by  the  amount 
of  business  secured.  Some  of  the  factors  which  are  men- 
tioned in  these  cases  are  difficult  to  determine  in  any  industry 
and  in  some  industries  the  limitations  of  competition  and  con- 
sumption are  so  thoroughly  defined  and  the  character  of  the 


THE  KIND  AND  EXTENT  OF  ADVERTISING  45 

buyer  so  well  known  that  no  special  compilation  is  necessary 
to  determine  these  points.  All  the  factors  mentioned,  how- 
ever, have  a  very  close  relation  to  the  validity  of  any  plan  for 
marketing  which  may  be  adopted  and  will  determine  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  the  percentage  of  selling  expense  in  toto 
with  which  the  organization  involved  may  be  burdened. 
Where  distributors  are  to  be  considered  and  where  the  lines 
of  distribution  are  not  firmly  fixed  it  is  important  that  the 
investigation  should  cover  also  the  different  classes  of  dealers 
who  carry  the  product  in  stock  and  the  relative  strength  of 
these  dealers  in  respect  to  the  amount  of  business  which 
they  do. 

Abnormal  Conditions  —  Need  for  Study  of  Them 

The  foregoing  rules  and  definitions  are  the  fundamental 
factors  which  affect  the  economic  condition  of  marketing  in 
an  organization,  under  the  normal  conditions  of  trade  when 
the  operations  of  production  and  demand  are  along  normal 
lines. 

Under  conditions  which  obtain  when  the  lines  of  distribu- 
tion are  inadequate  for  the  purpose  and  the  unusual  demand 
upon  production  forces  the  attention  upon  materials  and  manu- 
facturing, the  marketing  requirements  are  necessarily  altered. 
The  problems  before  the  advertiser  are  affected  by  these  cir- 
cumstances so  that  his  operations  must  be  conducted  with  the 
object  of  protecting  good-will,  conserving  distribution,  and 
eliminating  waste  in  his  business  operations.  It  is  under  such 
unusual  circumstances,  however,  that  the  complete  analysis  of 
marketing  conditions  is  perhaps  most  valuable  on  account  of 
the  illumination  of  each  requirement  and  consequently  the 
more  accurate  estimate  of  changes  which  can  be  made  in  the 
light  of  that  knowledge.  The  operations  under  different  con- 
ditions of  marketing  and  distribution  will  vary  over  a  wide 
range   of   necessities,    governed   by   temporary   individual   or 


46  ECONOMIC  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

general  conditions ;  but  the  factors  affecting  these  variations 
must  be  studied  in  the  hght  of  a  thorough  understanding  of 
marketing  economics  along  the  lines  laid  down  in  this  chapter. 
It  should  be  said,  however,  that  the  tendencies  in  diversifica- 
tion, consolidation,  governmental  control,  and  other  changes 
brought  about  by  a  period  of  unusual  demand  and  material 
shortage  should  be  the  subject  of  continual  study  and  observa- 
tion, as  some  of  these  tendencies  may  become  definite  depar- 
tures and  become  permanently  a  part  of  the  structure  of  in- 
dustrial operations.  Many  of  the  changes  occurring  during 
the  present  period  may  modify  permanently  the  methods  of 
distribution  and  sale,  but  the  extent  and  character  of  such 
modifications  cannot  he  determined  until  the  changes  have 
been  defined  by  operation  for  a  much  longer  period  than  at 
present. 


PART  II 

THE  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN 
ADVERTISING 


CHAPTER  IV 


THE  PSYCHO-ECONOMIC  ROLE  OF  ADVERTISING 


Four  Main  Problems 

In  this  discussion  the  intention  is  to  sketch  the  main  lines 
of  approach  which  the  advertising  man  must  have  in  mind, 
whether  he  be  engaged  in  the  preparation  of  copy,  as  writer 
or  illustrator;  or  in  the 
general  mapping  out  of 
campaigns ;  or  in  the  buy- 
ing or  selling  of  advertis- 
ing space ;  or  in  the  gen- 
eral supervision  of  the 
routes  and  stations  of 
marketing;  or  in  the  an- 
alysis of  results  and  costs  ; 
or  in  the  direct  manage- 


ment of  salesmen  and  so- 
licitors. 

It  is  obvious  that  in 
some  of  these  processes 
the  most  important  line 
of  training  and  prepara- 
tion may  not  be  strictly 
psychological  in  character, 
but  rather  artistic,  tech- 
nical, commercial,  or  sta- 
tistical, as  the  case  mav 
be.       The     psychological 


Any  good  cigar  is  a  comfort  while  you 
are  smoking  it;  but  the  matter  of  its  after-effect 
is  also  important    The  extraordinary  virtue  of 


is  that  they  combine  mildness  and  full  flavor. 
This  means  that  you  get  a  satisfying  "man  s 
size"  smoke  and  yet  do  not  pay  the  heavy 
after-penalties  of  very  strong  cigars. 

The  Girard  is  designed  to  make  every- 
body smile. 

Girard  cigars  are  made  in  1 4  sizes,  from  3 
for  a  quarter  to  20c.  straight 

Antonio  Roi^  &  Lanffsdorf 
EtiabiithtJ  tan 

Phituleiplu* 


An  appeal  to  appetite  and  sensual 
gratification 


49 


50 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


factors  are  of  especial  importance  in  the  preparation  of  copy, 
the  plannino^  of  campaigns,  and  the  administration  of  adver- 


awaiiann 


— the  golden  luscious  kind  (sliced,  crushed, 
or  grated),  makes  a  delicious  dessert  for 
early  summer  days,  simply  chilled  and  served; 
it  makes  tempting  ices,  sherbets  and  fruit 
cups ;  -  or  it  is  the  satisfactory  basis  of  many 
fine  salads,  pastries  and  puddings.  All  of 
which  are  described  in  our  free  booklet, 
"How  We  Serve  Hawaiian  Pineapple." 
by  the  following  1 5  culmary  experts ; 

Fannie  Merritt  Farmer 
Marion  Harland 
Janet  McKenzie  Hill 
Alice  Oetchell  Kirk 
Marion  Harris  Neil 
Lilian  Dynevor  Rice 
Sarah  Pearson  Stuart 
Josephine  Grenier 
Christine  Terhune  Hcrrick 
Helen  Louise  Johnson 
Anna  W.  Morrison 
Maria  Parloa 
Sarah  Tyson  Rorer 
Emma  Paddock  Telford 
Virginia  Terhune  Van  de  Water 

Ask  your  grocer  for  Hawaiian 
Pineapple,  Sliced,  Crushed,  or 
Grated.  It  is  picked  ripe,  can- 
ned right  and  costs  no  more  than 
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The  article  possesses  appetizing  qualities 


tising  space  and  media.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  special 
emphasis  is  laid  on  these  processes  in  the  present  section  of 
this  text-book. 


PSYCHO-ECONOMIC  ROLE  OF  ADVERTISING 


51 


The  work  of  advertising  is  essentially  a  part  of  the  larger 
economic  process  of  distribution.  Advertising  takes  for 
granted  the  existence  of  the  industrial  processes  of  produc- 
tion and  the  commercial  =^:==^====^===^ 
processes  of  marketing.  It 
therefore  also  takes  for 
granted  the  existence  of  a 
world  of  possible  custom- 
ers, with  needs  and  desires 
which  require  satisfaction 
and  with  established  habits 
of  satisfying  these  needs 
and  desires  through  some  of 
the  ordinary  channels  of 
marketing. 

In  its  most  common  form, 
advertising  also  takes  for 
granted  a  competitive  system 
of  production  and  distribu- 
tion, in  which  rival  pro- 
ducers contend  for  the  pat- 
ronage of  these  possible  con- 
sumers. But  even  in  the 
case  of  monopolies,  adver- 
tising still  plays  a  role,  in  so 
far  as  it  directs  the  possible 
consumer  toward  the  com- 
modity which  will  satisfy 
his  present  needs,  and  in  so 
far  as  it  stimulates  new 
needs  not  already  felt  to  be  urgent  by  special  classes  or  by 
people  in  general.  Originally  the  word  "  advertise  "  meant 
"  to  turn  toward."  "  to  direct  to."  In  this  original  sense  it 
takes  the  product  and  the  need  for  granted,  and  seeks  merely 


ROOM  for  every  toe,  tecause 
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SKape  .  No  '  Dreakingin" — ]ust 
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styles  to  please  every  taste. 
Priced  at  $5 — and  up  to  $7. 
The  FlorsKeim  dealer  will  show  you  the 
ssason's  correct  styles. 

Frte  on  Request 

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The  Florsheim  Shoe  Co. 

Chicago,  U.  S.  A. 


FOR  THE  MAN  WHO  CARES 


Solid  comfort 


52 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


to  direct  the  proper  needy  person  or  buyer  toward  the  proper 
commodity. 
As  employed  more  recently,  advertising  has  come  to  mean 


A  Picture  IN  THE  Fire 

What  miglit  have  been  mthout  a 

monthly  Inconie  Policy  in  the 

Travelers  Insurance  Company, 

Hartford,  Conn, 


Loyalty  to  those  with  whom  we  have  been  pleasantly  associated 

not  only  the  direction  of  established  buying  habits  toward  par- 
ticular products  rather  than  toward  other  products,  or  toward 
products  in  general,  but  very  frequently  the  advertiser  at- 
tempts to  market  a  commodity  for  which  no  specific  needs 


But  when  you 
1  do  need  it,  may  the  same  kind 
Providence  have  forearmed  you 
to  throttle, the  fire  fiend  before 
he  can  rob  you  of  your  household 
treasures  or  the  lives  of  those 
whom  the  hearthstone  cannot 
spare.  Pyrene  plants  confidence 
in  your  bosom  when  you  are 
going  away  — an  assurance  that 
you  will  not  return  to  charred 
ruins,  death,  or  a  frightful 
disfigurement. 

Price,  $7.00,  f.  o.  b.  near 
shipping  point 


WRITE  FOR  BOOKLET 


PYRENE  MANUFACTURING  CO. 


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OU.homi  City 


1358  Broadway,  New  York  City 


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St.  Louii 


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Buffalo 

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San  Anlol 


Fear,  devotion,  and  bodily  safety 


53 


54 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


A  Thousand 
Boating  Pleasures 
Are  Yours  With  a  Caille 

You  simply  can't  imagine  how  much 
fun  and  pleasure  are  embodied  in  a 
sturdy  little  Caille  Portable  Boat 
Motor.  You  have  to  try  it  You  have  to 
let  it  turn  your  row  boat  into  a  little 
family  launch  and  go  spinning  over  river 
and  lake — to  the  camp,  the  fishing  and  hunt- 
ing grounds,  the  summer  home,  picnics, 
anywhere  and  everywhere,  without  a  lick  of 
work — then  you'll  appreciate  the  value  of  a 

QWePoriableBoat Motor 

It  attachr3  to  any  row  boat  by  simply  turnine  two 
thumb  screws.  It's  adjustable  to  any  ancle  or  depth  o\ 
stern.  Develops  2  h.  p  Starts  with  half  a  turn  of  ihe  fly 
wheel.  Is  steeled  with  a  tuddei — like  a  launch,  rot  by 
tlie  propeller.  Rudder  is  of  out  folding,  stonc-dodiinj 
type  (pat.  applied  fori.  Propeller  is  protected  by  a  skid 
ves  row  boats  7  to  9  miles  an  hour 
)r  slow  enough  to  troll.  Can  be  run 
in  salt  or  fresh  \vater.  Wcichs 
but  55  lbs.  Furnished  with 
bavcry  ignition  or  reversible 
niacneto.Send  for  catalog  glv- 
iiij  details.  Dealers  wanted. 

For  Larger  Boats 

nc  tiviild  a  complete  lino  of 
li.'.torsfiom  2  to30h  p  If 
.lucresl.-.l,  ask  frr  our  Mar- 
ino .Motur  Blue  liouk. 

The  Caille  Perfection 
Motor  Co., 

Wnrld's    Lnrjrst  Ruilrters  of 
Two  Cycle  Marin.-  Molors 

1402  Caille  St.,    Detroit.  Mich. 


The  play  instinct 


exist  at  the  time.  Adver- 
tising then  becomes  also  a 
process  of  education,  a  proc- 
ess of  establishing  new  buy- 
ing and  consuming  habits, 
and  of  creating  new  needs 
or  investing  old  needs  with 
new  urgency  or  novel  form. 
Speaking  generally,  then, 
any  advertising,  whether  in 
the  form  of  the  advertising 
man,  the  advertising  me- 
dium, the  campaign  as  a 
whole,  or  even  the  single 
piece  of  copy,  is  confronted 
with  four  main  problems  or 
tasks. 

Knowledge  of  the  Market 

The  first  problem  is  that 
of  knowing  the  pre-existing 
needs  of  the  community  at 
large,  and  especially  the 
needs  of  the  particular  in- 
dividuals with  purchasing 
power.  A  knowledge  of  the 
fundamental  needs  of  men 
and  women  is  thus  the  hrst 
requisite  in  the  equipment  of 
an  advertising  man.  This 
knowledge  is  equally  funda- 
mental, whether  the  specific 
problem  l)e  that  of  appeal- 
ing to  the  pre-existing  needs 


i-^''  j-j  oungsters  who  snowball,  slide,  skate  and  coast  are  not  the  only  sufferers 
j  \/  I  from  chapped  hands  and  rough  faces.  Their  elders  who  stay  outdoors 
I  I  I  only  as  long  as  they  must,  often  are  troubled  too.  And  the  reason  in 
I    •*•    1    both  cases  usually  is  careless  drying  or  strong  soap. 

If  one  rinses  with  cold  water  and  takes  time  to  dry  the  skin  thoroughly  it  is  not 
likely  that  the  wind  will  do  any  hairm.  But,  of  course,  if  you  use  a  soap  which, 
of  itself,  makes  the  skin  sore  and  sensitive,  the  winter  weather  will  not  help 
matters. 

The  sure,  safe  way  is  not  only  to  rinse  and  dry  properly  but  to  use  Ivory  Soap 
as  well.  Then  you  know  that  upon  going  outdoors  the  skin  is  as  smooth,  healthy 
and  as  able  to  withstand  the  cold  as  it  possibly  can  be. 


lYORY  SOAP  .  .  . 


.  .  .  .  99i^^  PUKE 


The  sports  of  childhood 


55 


56 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


of  people  or  whether  it  be  that  of  stimulating  new  needs  on 
the  part  of  individuals,  groups,  or  the  community  at  large. 

Knowledge  of  the  Commodity 

The  second  task  consists  in  the  accurate  analysis  of  the 
commodity  to  be  distributed,  an  analysis  which  shall  reveal 
the  specific  qualities  which  possess  the  power  of  satisfying  the 


Fear,  cunning,  revenge,  and  protection 

definite  needs  of  possible  buyers.  This  analysis  should  reveal 
at  once  the  nature  of  the  task  to  be  undertaken  in  the  adver- 
tising campaign.  It  should  indicate  whether  the  task  is  to  be 
merely  competition  with  rival  commodities  or  firms  in  the 
satisfaction  of  pre-existing  needs,  or  whether  the  qualities  pos- 
sessed by  the  article  merit  an  educational  catnpaign  in  which 
new  needs  are  developed  or  old  needs  given  new  directions. 
This  analysis  should  reveal  the  nature  of  those  particular 
satisfactions  which  the  article  is  calculated  to  give  —  as  for 
example,  whether  the  commodity  will  satisfy  in  an  immediate 


PSYCHO-ECONOMIC  ROLE  OF  ADVERTISING 


57 


way  the  appetite,   the   fear,   the  ambition  of   the  buyer,   or 
whether  its  service  is  to  be  of  an  indirect  sort.     It  should 


HER  property  —  her  little  ones — her  own  life — she  knows  are  safely  protected 
when  she  has  a  Savage  Automatic  in  her  horae.  She  knows  its  ten  sure  shots 
are  at  her  command — quick  or  slow,  as  she  chooses — one  to  each  trigger  pull. 
And  wliat's  more,  she  kno<vjs  it  is  safe — knows  at  a  glance  or  touch  if  it  is  loaded. 
That  is  why  she  does  not  fear  the  Savage.  Are  your  little  ones  and  property  safe? 
Send  6c  in  stamps  for  book  "If  you  Hear  a  Burglar."     Send  today 


AUTOMAnC 


Savage  Arms  Company,  79  Savage  Avenue,  Utica,  N   Y 

Makers  of  the  Famous  Savage  Pijfts. 


Safety  first ! 


show  whether  the  article  is  to  be  itself  the  object  of  direct 
consumption  or  whether  the  commodity  is  to  be  used  as  a  tool 
in  the  production  of  certain  other  objects  or  facts  which  are 


58 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


fcWT 


;:'l!!3:!.i:!ll!i:i:i?!53:;ill;:illiwiln: 


Findmg  the 

"Hidden  Profits" 

in  Your  Dollars 

^^^ANY  a  conserva- 
tive  investor  nas 
touna  new  profits  concealed  in 
his  investea  funds  and  increased 
his  income  by  purchase  of  sound 
first  mortgage  bonds  yielding 
6%  interest. 

Or  course,  tkc  yield  from  one's 
investment  is  far  less  important 
than  sarety  of  principal  ana  certainty 
of  interest.  He  wno  sacrifices  safety 
in  pursuit  of  greater  income  commits 
tLe  gravest  of  mistakes. 

However,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
increase  tlie  yield  from  one  s  invest- 
ments -without  any  real  sacrifice  of 
safety.  Tne  first  mortgage  serial 
Donas  -we  own  and  offer  return  6% 
interest  and  are  so  tnorougnly  safe- 
guarded that  no  investor  has  ever 
suffered  loss  of  principal  or  interest 
on  any  security  purchased  of  us. 

We  ■w^ill  he  pleased  to  explain 
tne  merits  of  these  bonds  and  to 
show  why  they  combine  assured 
safety  with  a  larger  interest  yield 
tban  most  otner  securities  of  equal 
soundness. 

On  amplication  wt  will 
send  The  Investors  ^^ag- 
azint,  our  monthly  publi- 
cation, and  literature  of 
value    to    every    investor. 

Ask  for  Circular  No.  501C. 

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:ffl''i:i:i::..;Mi;;,":;;'::i:[!;:i:i[i;i:i'i:!i::i;i!;^ 


The  acquisitive  instinct 


themselves  the  immediate 
satisfaction  of  the  needs  of 
the  buyer. 

Establishing    the    Associa- 
tion 

These  two  analyses  hav- 
ing been  made,  the  one  of 
the  needs  of  the  community 
and  the  other  of  the  quali- 
ties of  the  article,  the  next 
task  of  the  advertiser  is  that 
of  establishing  connections 
or  associations  between  the 
specific  commodity  and  the 
more  or  less  particular  needs. 
The  first  task,  that  of  dis- 
covering the  needs  of  the 
community,  is  a  psychologi- 
cal one.  The  second  task 
involves  chiefly  the  technical 
and  industrial  familiarity 
with  the  product. 

This  third  task,  again,  is 
a  strictly  psychological  one. 
To  establish  associations  be- 
tween commodity  and  need 
means  to  create  mental  hab- 
its, thought  habits,  action 
habits,  of  such  a  sort  that  the 
feeling  of  the  need  at  once 
suggests  to  the  mind  of  the 
individual  the  commodity  in 
question.      This     implies    a 


PSYCHO-ECONOMIC  ROLE  OF  ADVERTISING  59 

knowledge  of  the  laws  of  thinking,  the  laws  of  association,  the 
phenomena  and  characteristics  of  memory,  the  facts  of  habit 
and  the  general  characteristics  of  human  action  and  human  be- 
havior. Since  advertising  is  seldom  of  monopolies,  this  third 
task  also  involves  a  knowledge  of  the  way  in  which  men  and 
women  make  their  decisions,  the  way  in  which  they  are  per- 
suaded, convinced,  made  to  feel  strongly. 

Making  the  Association  Dynamic 

Having  discovered  the  appropriate  need  and  the  correspond- 
ing quality  of  the  commodity,  having  established  in  the  mind 
of  the  possible  consumer  an  association  between  his  own  need 
and  the  commodity  to  be  distributed,  the  remaining  task  is  that 
of  making  this  association  dynamic.  The  mere  association 
of  ideas  on  the  part  of  the  possible  consumer  is  futile.  The 
whole  process  is  futile  unless  the  established  association  is 
invested  with  dynamic  power  such  that  the  mere  association 
of  ideas  is  realized  in  action.  Specific  action  must  be  pro- 
duced. The  need  being  felt,  the  quality  of  the  commodity 
being  known  and  connected  with  this  need,  the  craving  must 
realize  itself  in  an  act  of  purchase,  or  at  least  in  an  act  of 
inquiry,  an  expression  of  interest.  To  suggest  and  produce 
specific  action,  definite  response,  is  then  the  fourth  task  of  the 
advertiser. 

Here  again  we  are  face  to  face  with  a  purely  psychological 
problem.  The  laws  of  suggestion,  the  processes  of  will, 
choice,  action,  in  general  a  knowledge  of  the  dynamics  of  hu- 
man behavior  is  required  as  an  essential  part  of  the  adver- 
tiser's equipment. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  ORIGINAL  NEEDS  OF  HUMAN  BEINGS 

Characteristic  Animal  Needs 

As  we  pass  from  the  simpler  to  the  higher  forms  of  living 
organisms  and  move  out  along  that  great  branch  of  life  which 
bears  the  animal  forms,  with  their  varying  degrees  of  com- 
plexity, certain  needs  become  more  and  more  important.  Not 
only  do  they  become  more  and  more  important,  but  they  be- 
come highly  complex  and  subtle  and  varied  in  their  manifes- 
tation. The  function  of  mctabolisvi  becomes  hiphly  differ- 
entiated, and  the  need  for  particular  foods  and  feeding  places, 
particular  drinking  places,  develops.  Combined  with  the  func- 
tions of  sensitivity  and  reproduction,  this  function  of  nutri- 
tion develops  into  specific  needs  for  shelter,  protection  from 
physical  danger  and  attack,  l)odily  defense,  methods  of  storing 
up  food,  and  more  and  more  aggressive  methods  of  securing 
it.  The  care  and  training  of  the  young,  the  processes  of  mat- 
ing, incipient  tendencies  toward  community  existence  develop 
the  needs  of  play,  exercise,  combat,  leadership,  and,  to  a 
certain  extent,  division  of  labor.  In  this  process  of  animal 
development,  specific  modes  of  behavior  are  formed  and  per- 
petuated, which  we  call  instincts. 

These  instincts  are  originally  developed  in  the  same  way 
as  are  the  various  weapons  of  defense  and  organs  of  locomo- 
tion—  as  convenient  tools  for  the  certain  and  safe  struggle 
for  existence.  Once  the  instincts  are  established,  their  very 
satisfaction  constitutes  a  source  of  pleasure  to  their  possessors, 
and  the  failure  of  their  gratification  becomes  an  annoyance, 

60 


ORIGINAL  NEEDS  OF  HUMAN  BEINGS 


6i 


a  craving,  and  leads  to  more  or  less  definite  desires,  wishes, 
or  needs. 


It  is  fine  to  come  here,  Clara. 

You  always  have 

delicious 


'Mllllllll  >''    '<l||||||l|||i' 


II 


«i      'M 


tiilllllllll  lit   .iillllllllliiK    iiilllllllllliii    iidlllllllliii) 

An  appeal  to  sociability  and  hospitality 


Even  if  there  is  no  longer  any  biological  necessity  for  the 
activity  of  the  instinct  mechanism,  the  psychological  need  is 


62 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


Still  present,  and  this  is  a  real  factor  in  the  life  of  the  indi- 
vidual. In  this  way  arise  many  specific  modes  of  reaction  to 
particular  objects  in  the  world.  These  modes  of  reaction  we 
call  by  such  names  as  curiosity,  fear,  play,  constructiveness, 
combativeness,   gregariousness,   lust,   etc.     They  are   the   in- 


Golden  Hours  With  Billiards 

The  "Baby  Grand"  turns  dull  winter  evenings  into  golden  liours  of  delight. 

The  joy  of  life,  the  spirit  of  play,  make  the  time  pass  all  too  quickly  "  No  place 
like  home  "  to  fully  en/iry  the  royal  game  of  billiarJs. 

When  mother  "shoos"  the  players  off  to  bed,  someone  is  sure  to  exclaim — "IVho 
turned  the  clock  ahead!" 

That's  just  an  innocent  little  trick  of  the  Brunswick  "  Baby  Grand." 

For  "His"  Christm2is— The  Beautiful  Brunswick 

"Baby  Grand"  Billiard  Table 

Satisfies  the  need  for  sociability 


stincts,  and  represent,  in  the  main,  the   fimdamental  animal 
needs. 


The  Needs  of  Primitive  Men 

At  a  high  level  in  the  scale  of  animal  life  we  find  human 
beings  li\'ing  together,  in  very  simple  ways,  using  rough  co- 
operative methods    for   their  mutual    struggles.     The   simple 


ORIGINAL  NEEDS  OF  HUMAN  BEINGS 


63 


and  direct  instinct  mechanisms  of  the  lower  animals  tend  to 
persist,  but  they  are  in  many  cases  less  definite  in  form  and 
more  varied  in  scope  and 
range.  New  forms  of  in- 
stinctive reaction  arise  — 
cunning,  ornamentation,  and 
decoration ;  the  elementary 
instincts  of  fear,  defense, 
and  curiosity  develop  into 
vague  tendencies  of  worship 
and  reverence.  Social  sanc- 
tions and  ideals  arise  and 
such  tribal  or  family  rela- 
tions as  sympathy,  loyalty, 
revenge,  and  honor  are 
found.  Cleanliness,  ritual 
and  ceremony,  organization, 
develop.  Processes  of  ex- 
change and  barter,  institu- 
tions of  war  and  govern- 
ment, education,  marriage, 
property,  are  not  long  de- 
layed. The  simple  animal 
instincts     become     overlaid 

■with  the  results  of  training, 

*="  An  apneal  to  ambition 

habit,   and  custom,   and  the 

needs,  desires  and  cravings  of  each  individual  are  infinitely 

multiplied. 


YOU  Can  Rise 

to  a  Position 

oi  Poivcr 

To  hold  a  position  of  power  you 
need  to  know  more  about  your  par- 
ticular business. 

Tlie  secret  of  power  and  success  is  to 
KNOW  EVERYTHING  ABOUT 
SOMETHING. 

Right  along  these  lines  the  International 
Correspondence  Schools  train  men  for  Posi- 
tions of  Po"er. 

The  I.  C.  S.  gives  you  "concentrated" 
knowledge—  specialized  training  that  en- 
ables you  to  waster  easily  and  quickly 
evcryihinp  you  need  to  know  to  advance. 

If  you  can  read  and  write,  the  I.  C.  S. 
can, help  you  to  succeed  in  the  occupation 
of  your  own  selection.  To  be  convinced  of 
this,  just  mark  and  mail  the  coupon— the 
1.  C.  S.  will  send  you  detailed  information 
as  to  just  how  you  can  be  qualified  to 
advance  higher  and  higher. 

Marking  the  coupon  involves  no  obliga- 
tion on  your  part—  do  it  now. 


The  Civilized  Human  Being 

As  civilization  progresses  these  needs  and  cravings  of  men 
and  women  become  ever  more  subtle  and  highly  elaborated. 
To  be  sure,  these  needs  can,  for  the  most  part,  be  traced 
back  to  the  fundamental  needs  of  animals,  or  even  to  the 


64 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


essential  characteristics  of  organic  existence.     The  main  dif- 
ference is  in  the  variety  of  form,  the  subtlety  of  gradation, 

the  ease  of  modiiiabiHty,  and 
Wllich  JobDoYoU  the  susceptibility  to  training 
^TANX?  possessed  by  the  needs  of 
civiHzed  people.  Three  ten- 
dencies may  be  pointed  out, 
each  of  which  has  particular 
importance  for  the  advertis- 
ing man : 

I .  The  various  elementary 
instincts  persist,  and  per- 
haps new  forms  are  added, 
but  they  tend  to  become  less 
and  less  specific  and  more 
easily  modifiable.  The  low- 
er animal  could  hardly  be  ad- 
vertised to,  for  his  reactions 
are  formed  in  a  more  or  less 
ironclad  way,  and  relate  to 
definite  objects  and  situa- 
tions in  his  life.  But  the 
human  beine-  shows  instinc- 


Which 
Will  You   GET? 


The  $5,000  job — or  $10,000  job — is  yours  once  you  have 

the  traintng.  Without  this  training  you  can  slave  away 

your  entire  life  on  a  bare  living  wage     There  arc  too 

many  mere  bookkeepers  and  clerks — not  enough  (ra!)ic<i         .  ,  T  ,    .    , 

accountant  \\'hichdo>oKwanttobe?\\'hJchu'i7/yoube?      tlVC  tendcnClCS  wllicll  may  bC 

Home -Study  Course  In 


Higher  Accountancy 
and  Business  Law 

Competition 


directed  toward  new  ol)jects 
and  situations,  and  the  or- 
iginal needs  and  response 
tendencies  may  be  very  much 
modified,  elaborated,  added  to,  and  otherwise  changed  by  edu- 
cation, entreaty,  appeal,  argument,  and  experience. 

2.  Elaborate  traditions,  customs,  and  sanctions  are  de- 
veloped, treasured  in  art,  education,  and  in  religious  and  civic 
ceremonial.  These  become  early  impressed  on  the  individual, 
and  once  impressed,  assume  the  coerciveness  of  instincts.     To 


The  universal  instinct  of  ornamentation 


6S 


66  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

each  of  them  correspond  new  needs  and  cravings  which  must 
be  satisfied.  Indeed  these  new  needs  may  even  become  more 
coercive  than  the  cruder  instinctive  cravings,  since  they  are 
supported  and  encouraged  by  the  sentiment  of  the  community, 
the  sanction  of  the  state,  and  the  verdict  of  history.  These 
reinforcements  the  instinctive  needs  seldom  receive.  Cleanh- 
ness,  chivalry,  piety,  honesty,  purity,  patriotism,  chastity, 
obedience,  co-operation,  and  countless  habits  of  daily  life, 
needs  of  the  moment,  requirements  of  this  and  that  occupa- 
tion, class,  etc.,  illustrate  these  new  needs  which  characterize 
civilized  human  beings.  To  all  of  them  the  advertising  man 
can  appeal, 

3.  In  the  struggle  to  achieve  many  of  these  desires,  certain 
still  more  varied  and  distinctively  social  values  arise,  values 
which  serve  mainly  to  distinguish  one  individual  from  an- 
other, one  group  from  other  groups,  in  the  eyes  of  the  com- 
munity at  large.  Ideals  of  style,  fashion,  prestige,  exclusive- 
ness,  propriety,  etiquette,  all  the  vagaries  and  fancies  of  the 
leisure  class  and  the  dilettanti  —  these  no  less  than  the  more 
biological  necessities  of  existence,  constitute  human  needs. 
They  form  triggers  of  reaction,  explosion  points  of  response, 
which  need  but  to  be  touched  off  to  bring  about  vigorous 
behavior.  These  effective  conceptions  and  habits  and  ideals, 
along  with  the  social  needs  and  values  and  sanctions,  combined 
with  the  instinctive  requirements  and  the  fundamental  organic 
necessities,  all  these  are  the  original  needs  of  the  community 
which  the  advertiser  must  know  intimately  and  in  great  detail. 

Appealing  to  the  Three  Tendencies 

All  these  demands  are  represented  in  conduct  by  tendencies 
to  act.  They  take  the  form  of  impulses,  cravings,  desires, 
wants,  standards,  habits,  values  and  customs,  and  represent 
from  the  point  of  view  of  distribution,  what  we  call  the  needs 
of  the  comnnmity.     Their  special  and  varied  modes  of  origin 


Buy  because  others  do ! 


^7 


68 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


may  be  neglected  as  having  only  scientific  interest.  Prac- 
tically they  may  all  be  treated  together  as  ways  of  behaving, 
tendencies  to  respond.     Advertising  may  be  conceived  pri- 

"Thank  you, 
dear;  this  is 
real  soap" 

For  llic  man  who  u'onis  to 
feci  clean  and  l^now  that  he  is 
clean,  prociJc  a  soap  thai  will  do 
more  than  cleanse — a  soap  thai 
will  soothe,  purify  and  disinfect. 

That  Soap  is  Lifebuoy.  In 
addition  to  rich  cocoanut  and 
red  palm  oils,  it  contains  an  in- 
gredient recognized  the  world 
over  as  unequalled  in  healing, 
purifying,  antiseptic  power. 

The  first  clean  whiff  of  Life- 
buoy will  assure  you  of  that  — 
but  the  odor  soon  disappears, 
leaving  behind  it  only  a  faint, 
refreshing  suggestion  of  whole- 
some, immaculate  cleanliness. 

Lifebuoy  docs  not  slide  greasily 
over  the  surface;  its  creamy, 
copious  lather  works  down  into 
the  pores  and  cleans  them  out — 


The  name  "Lifebuoy"  was  given  to  it  yean 
\c  it  is  the  lifc-fircserver  of  the  skin. 


rids  the  skin  of  the  dirt,  the  grime, 
the  stains,  the  odors  of  perspi- 
ration—  and  leaves  it  pink-and- 
white,  soft  auid  moist. 

Use  Lifebuoy  for  perfect  cleanliness; 
for  relief  from  chafe  and  skin  irritations; 
for  protection  to  the  skin  ;  for  the  match- 
less clearness  and'yoiithful  delicacy  of 
the  "Lifebuoy  complexion  ";  for  the  sen- 
sation of  renewed  vitality  and  buoyant 
energy  which  it  adds  to  the  bath,   "~~ 

Lifebuoy  is  a  pure,  safe  soap  —  its 
purity  is  backed  by  a  $5000  guarantee. 
Try  it  at  the  washstand  and  in  the  bath 
and  you  will  always  use  it. 

Get  it  from  your  grocer  ordruegtst  —  the  price 
is  only  5  cents.  \i  you  do  not  fino  it  readily  send 
5  cents  (stamps  or  coin)  for  a  big.  generous 
cake  to  LtVER  BROS.  CO..  Department  8. 
Cambridge.  Mass. 


HEALTH  SOAP 


Be  clean 

marily,  then,  as  the  art  of  effectively  presenting  a  commodity 
in  such  a  way  that  it  will  touch  off,  appeal  to,  or  satisfy,  one 
or  more  of  these  tendencies. 


ORIGINAL  NEEDS  OF  HUMAN  BEINGS  69 

The  advertising  man  must  know  as  much  as  possible  in 
detail  about  the  range  of  human  needs,  their  relative  urgency 
when  appealed  to  in  advertisements,  the  ways  in  which  in- 
dividuals and  classes  differ,  so  that  in  analyzing  his  commodity 
and  preparing  his  copy  he  may  get,  with  a  minimum  of  effort 
and  waste,  a  maximum  of  returns.  The  time  is  long  past 
when  advertising  was  a  mere  matter  of  vague  and  general  an- 
nouncement. A  quarter  of  a  century  ago  advertising  men 
seemed  not  to  realize  that  human  beings  possess  such  things 
as  specific  needs  or  definite  instinctive  tendencies.  Copy  was 
vague,  unspecialized,  unconcentrated  and  scattering.  This  was 
well  enough  when  printing  was  new,  when  industry  was  un- 
specialized and  competition  weak.  In  our  own  time  only  di- 
rect, specific,  bull's  eye  appeal  to  definite  interests,  needs  and 
desires  is  effective.  Something  more  about  the  relative 
urgency  and  coerciveness  of  these  human  needs  we  shall  see 
in  due  time. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  CHIEF  HUMAN  INSTINCTS,  NEEDS  AND 
EMOTIONS 

Classification  of  Instincts 

In  the  past  experience  of  the  race  certain  objects  or  situa- 
tions have  stood  out  as  fundamentally  important  in  the  strug- 
gle for  survival,  supremacy,  and  comfort.  Definite  modes  of 
reaction  have  been  found  to  be  most  appropriate  in  dealing 
with  these  particular  objects  or  situations.  Individuals  who 
have  reacted  promptly  and  definitely  in  these  appropriate  ways 
have  been  successful,  have  flourished,  and  have  left  offspring 
who  possessed  the  same  inborn  tendencies  to  reaction.  Indi- 
viduals who  failed  to  react  in  these  appropriate  ways  perished 
and  left  no  progeny.  So  there  has  been  a  long  process  of 
selection,  in  which  only  those  individuals  have  survived  with 
greatest  advantage  who  displayed  mechanical  tendencies  to 
react  in  the  ways  which  race  history  has  pro\ed  most  expedi- 
ent. These  reflex,  mechanical  tendencies  are  said  to  be  in- 
stinctive. When  many  of  them  are  considered  together,  be- 
cause of  certain  similarities  in  their  character  or  result,  or 
because  of  certain  similarities  in  the  objects  or  situations 
which  provoke  them,  we  speak  of  single  instincts,  such  as 
curiosity,  combativeness,  constructiveness,  etc. 

When  we  speak  of  special  instincts  it  should  be  l)ornc  in 
mind  that  we  do  not  mean  perfectly  definite  and  distinct  sets 
of  movements  which  will  be  carried  out  in  the  same  way  on 
all  occasions.  We  mean  rather  a  somewhat  loosely  classified 
set  of  special  connections  between  stimulus  and  response,  each 

70 


HUMAN  INSTINCTS,  NEEDS  AND  EMOTIONS 


71 


We  built  that  Crane 


This  fine  working  model  of  a  rotating 
crane  is  one  of  a  hundred  models  a  boy 
can  build  with  Meccano.  He  can  start 
building  at  once.  There  is  nothing  to 
delay  his  enthusiasm.  Simple  but  me- 
chanically correct  —  that  s  Meccano. 

Vour  boy  can  build  working  models  of 
cranes,  bridges,  towers,  railways,  and  machin- 
ery of  various  types.  Think  of  the  glorious 
fun  and  endless  variety  in  Meccano  for  your 
boy      It's  the  ideal  gift  to  give  him. 


connection  being  itself  definite  and  specific,  and  the  various 
tendencies  being  more  or  less  related  to  each  other  on  the 
basis  of  their  consequences 
or  the  kind   of   object  pro- 
voking: them.     Thus  the  in-      ^^  ^^^  ^\ 
stinct  of  curiosity  does  not      %^iM\^'^- 
lead  us  to  do  always  some        -^^^s^^  > 
one  particular  sort  of  thing 
or  series  of  things.     But  in 
general,  to  things  which  are 
new,    or    sudden,    or    unex- 
pected, or  in  motion,  or  in- 
tense, or  in  any  other  ways 
novel    or    unusual,    we    re- 
spond by  varied  movements, 
such    as   turning   the   head, 
craning    the    neck,    pricking 
up   the   ears,   extending  the 
hand,     prodding     with     the 
foot,     etc..    etc.     The    par- 
ticular  movements   and   the 
objects   inducing  them  may 
be   infinitely   varied,   but   in 
general,     the     objects     are 
novel    and    unfamiliar    and 
the  reactions  are  inquisitive, 
explorative,    and    investiga- 
tive.    This  is  why  we  group 
the  various  specific  connec- 
tions   together    under    the    name    "  Instinct    of    Curiosity." 
Ixluch  the  same  thing  is  true  of  all  the  other  instincts. 

While  it  would  be  arbitrary  to  pretend  to  give  a  complete 
list  of  the  instinctive  tendencies  of  human  beings,  it  is  never- 
theless useful  to  have  a  tentative  enumeration  of  the  most 


consists  of  bright  plated  steel  strips,  angle 
brackets,  sector  plates,  gear  and  pulley 
wheels,  bolts  and  nuts — in  fact  everything 
necessary  for  building,  including  tools. 
No  extras  to  buy  There  are  13 
Meccano  outfits  ranging  from  $1 
to  $36.  For  sale  at  Toy  and 
Department  Stores. 


Meccano 

Company 

Inc. 

71  W.  23rJ 

Street 

New  York 


tropp  Book  No. 

1  XXl_il-i  gi^es  ^hg  ab 

sorbing  story  of  Meccano 
\Vrite  for  it  today 


The  building  instinct 


"M 


i 


Make  the  garret  livable— EASY! 

Do  YOU  know  it's  the  simplest  thing  in  the  world  for  jok 
yourself  Xo  malce  a  nurseryroom  as  attractive  as  this  ?  It 
is.  And  it's  just  as  easy  to  transform  any  unfinished  attic — 
or  unused  room  —  into  chamber-room,  living-room,  billiard- 
room,  etc. 

Do  as  this  man  is  doing.  Get  Neponset  Wall  Board,  which 
comes  in  sheets  (7  to  10  feet  long)  already  decorated  in  three 
beautiful  finishes — Plain  Oak,  Cream  White  and  Burnt  Leather. 
You  can  do  the  rest  with  hammer,  nails  and  saw.  In  a  few 
hours'  time  you  can  cover  walls  and  ceiling. 


NEPDNSET 


WALL 
BOARD 


Takes  the  place  of  lath  and  plaster.  Just  nail  direct  to  studding 
or  over  plaster.  Costs  less  than  lath  and  plaster.  No  dirt.  No  delay 
for  plaster  to  dry.  NEPONSET  is  the  wall  board  with  ivater-proofed 
surfaces  that  requires  no  further  decoration. 

SURELY  SEND  for  samples,  because  nothing  else  can  tell  you  so 
eloquently  the  wonderful  possibilities  opened  to  you  by  this  material. 

BIRD  &  SON  (Est.  179S).  941  Neponset  St,  East  Walpole,  Mass.     |l|pgQ^| 

New  York  Chicago  Wjsblnjton  San  Ftancisco     L_-««,.-l 

Canadian  Office  and  Plant:  Hamilton.  OnL 
Alto  maktrs  t/thrfamoul  "ihwij  mdJt**  Nitanstt  Racfinzt  fomtry  Und 
Kifi't  Katirftetf  Buildinz  Piipii 


The  building  instinct 


72 


HUMAN  INSTINCTS,  NEEDS  AND  EMOTIONS 


73 


important  in  mind.  It  is  also  well  to  remember  that  in  general 
each  instinct  is  the  basis  of  a  corresponding  emotion.  The  in- 
stinct is  a  tendency  to  react,  but  each  characteristic  reaction 
is  accompanied  by  an  equally  characteristic  feeling  or  emotion. 


millllMllllllllinillllllllllllMliilMllllllliaMlllllililMIIMMaMIM 


lllllllllIIIIIIIDIllIllllIEIIIIIIllBiBIIMIIIIlinH 


Does  Your  Figure  Please  You? 

Your  dressmaker  can  never  make  a  gown  look  well  on  you 
unless  you  have  a  good  figure  and  unless  you  carry  it  well 

I  want  to  make  yoa  realize  that  your  figure  and  health  are 
almost  entirely  in  your  own  hands,  and  that  by  following  my 
simple,  hygienic  directions  in  the  privacy  of  your  own  room 

You  Can  Be  5o  Well 

that  your  whole  being  vibrates  health.  I  have  helped  65,000  of  the  most 
refined,  intellectual  women  of  America  to  regain  health  and  good  figures^ 
and  have  taught  them  how  to  keep  well.  Why  not  you?  You  are  busy,  but  you 
can  devote  a  few  minutes  a  day,  in  the  privacy  of  your  own  room,  to  following 
scientific,  hygienic  principles  of  health  prescribed  to  your  particular  needs. 

I  have  reduced  the  weight  of  over  32,000  women  and  increased  the  weight  of  as 
many  more.  In  my  work  for  reduction  or  building  flesh,  I  strengthen  every  vital 
function  so  that  you  are  full  of  life  and  energy 

My  work  has  grown  in  favor  because  results  are  quick,  natural  and  permanent, 
and  because  they  are  scientific  and  appeal  to  common  sense.  Fully  one-third  of  my 
pupils  are  sent  to  me  by  those  who  have  worked  with  me. 

I  wish  you  could  stand  with  me  at  my  window  for  a  few  minutes  and,  as  the  women 
pass,  realize  with  me  how  many  need  better  figures,  better  health.  They  could  have 
them,  too,  with  just  a  little  daily  effort  which  ia  easy— not  as  hard  as  what  they 
are  enduring. 

The  best  physicians  are  my  friends — their  wives  and  daughters  are  my  pupils — fke 
medical  magazines  advertise  my  work.  Someone  in  your  town  knows  me.  Ask  your  friends 
about  my  work.    1  am  at  my  desk  daily  from  8  until  Gw 

No  Drugs — No  Medicines 

I  study  each  woman's  case  just  as  a  physician  studies  it.  the  only  difference  bein?  that 
stead  of  medicine  1  screnethen  and  put  in  place  weakened  organs  by  exercises  for  nerves  and 
uscles  controllinfc  them,  brinsine  a  {rood  circulation  of  warm  blood  to  them*  which  I  purify 
{  teaching  correct  breathing.    I  relieve  such  AUmenU  as 


Indigestion 

Sleeplessness 

Catarrh 

Suffering  in 

Conitipation 

Nervousness 

Headache* 

Pregnancy 

Anaemia 

Torpid  Liver 

Weakness 

Rheumatism 

I  have  published  a  free  booklet  show-ng  how  to  stand  and  walk  correctly  and  (rivine:  other  Information  of  vital 
interest  to  women.  Write  for  it  and  I  wiiralso  tell  you  about  my  work.  If  you  are  perfectly  well  and  your  figure  it  just  - 
what  you  wish,  you  may  be  able  to  help  a  dear  friend— at  least  you  will  help  me  by  your  interest  in  this  great  move- 
ment for  greater  culture,  refineme.it  and  beauty  in  woman.  Sit  down  and  write  nie  NOW.  Don't  wait — you  mar 
forget  it.    1  have  bad  a  wonderful  experience  and  I  should  like  to  tell  you  about  it. 

SUSANNA  COCROFT,  Dept.95  624  South  Michigan  Avenue,  Chicago 


Mist  Cocroft  ia  a  college  bred 


She  ia  a  recognized  authoritv  upon  the  ecientific 
She  peraonallv  truperviaes  her  leork. 


An  attempt  to  play  on  pride 


Sometimes  the  emotion  and  the  instinct  are  designated  by  the 
same  name.  Thus  "  Fear  "  means  either  a  way  of  behaving 
or  a  way  of  feeling,  and  hence,  either  an  instinct  or  an  emo- 
tion.    Much  the  same  thing  is  true  of  anger,  hatred,  etc. 

In  general  the  human  instincts,  and  their  correlated  emo- 


74  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

tions,  may  be  grouped  under  three  headings,  according  to  their 
function  and  their  degree  of  coerciveness,  as  follows: 

(a)  Individual  Instincts. 

(b)  Social  Instincts. 

(c)  Racial  Instincts. 

All  instincts  of  human  nature  make  for  the  well  being  of 
the  individual,  but  some  are  more  social  than  others  in  their 
reference.  Among  the  individual  instincts  we  may  place  loco- 
motion, taking  nourishment,  making  vague  sounds  and  random 
movements,  fear,  pugnacity,  self-assertiveness,  collecting  and 
storing  up  objects,  emulation  or  rivalry,  hunting,  curiosity,  and 
perhaps  the  abhorrence  of  filth.  Under  the  social  instincts 
we  may  place  such  tendencies  as  bash  fulness,  desire  for  com- 
panionship, certain  fears,  sympathy,  self-sacrifice,  and  per- 
haps imitation  and  play.  Among  the  racial  instincts  would 
come  the  sex  reactions,  homing,  nesting,  mating,  the  various 
sorts  of  affection  and  parental  and  filial  devotion,  and  coquetry. 
It  is  of  course  not  possible  to  draw  sharp  lines  of  demar- 
cation between  these  three  groups  of  instincts,  but  the 
broader  lines  of  distinction  are,  in  theory  at  least,  fairly 
clear. 

Suggestive  List  of  Instincts  and  Emotions 

The  following  tabulation  of  the  chief  instincts  that  can  be 
appealed  to  in  advertising  will  be  found  useful  in  the  analysis 
of  the  commodity,  the  planning  of  the  campaign,  and  the 
preparation  of  copy.  Along  with  a  suggestive  name  for  the 
instinct  are  given  the  emotions  for  which  the  instinct  con- 
stitutes the  basis.  The  characteristic  acts  which  are  designated 
by  the  instinct  name  are  also  given  in  each  case.  It  should  be 
understood  that  this  list  is  offered  only  as  a  working  basis, 
and  does  not  pretend  to  give  an  exhaustive  analysis  of  human 
nature.  It  gives,  in  the  main,  the  chief  instincts  operative  in 
connection  with  business  transactions. 


HUMAN  INSTINCTS,  NEEDS  AND  EMOTIONS 


75 


The  Instinct  and  Its 
Corresponding  Emotions 
1.  AjeFtTiTE    (Hunger, 

Tastefulness,      Sensual 

Enjoyment) 


2.  Comfort  (Calm,  Rest- 
fulness,  Relaxation, 
Ease) 

3.  Sex  (Passion,  Lust, 
Love,  Coquetry) 

4.  Devotion  (Faithful- 
ness, Loyalty,  Affec- 
tion) 


5.  Plav  (Merriment,  Play- 
fulness, Sport,  Joy,  Hu- 
mor, etc.) 


6.  Fear  (Timidity,  Fear- 
fulness,  Anguish,  Cau- 
tion) 


7.  Acquisitiveness  (Pro- 
priety, Selfishness,  Stin- 
giness, etc.) 

8.  Hunting  (Cruelty,  Ea- 
gerness, etc.) 


The  Sort  of  Behavior  to  Which  It 
Prompts  Us 
To  gratify  and  exercise  the  senses 
and  to  continue  the  stimulation  for 
a  reasonable  length  of  time  or  so 
long  as  the  stimulation  remains 
pleasant.  '  (Illustrations,  pages  49 
and  50.) 

To  avoid  pain  of  any  kind,  by  flight, 
by  removal  of  the  stimulus,  or  by 
various  overt  acts  of  evasion  or  ag- 
gression.    (Illustration,  page  51.) 

Definite  responses  toward  the  opposite 
sex  in  general  or  toward  particular 
members  of  it. 

To  protect  and  be  loyal  to  our  depend- 
ents or  to  those  with  whom  we  have 
long  been  pleasantly  associated,  as 
in  family,  school,  or  community  life. 
(Illustrations,  pages  52  and  53.) 

To  work  off  superfluous  energy,  either 
alone  or  in  combination  with  others, 
and  to  enjoy  this  process  either  in 
action  or  in  contemplation.  (Illus- 
trations, pages  54  and  55.) 

Retractile  or  inhibitory  reactions  be- 
fore definitely  dangerous  objects,  as 
indicated  by  the  experience  of  the 
race.  (Illustrations,  pages  56  and 
57-) 

To  accumulate  and  store  up  objects, 
either  w-ith  or  without  particular 
value.  To  save,  to  bargain,  etc. 
(Illustration,  page  58.) 

To  pursue  and  destroy  various  objects, 
especially  if  they  are  inferior  in 
power  and  in  motion.  Related  to 
Combativeness  and  Playfulness. 


7^^ 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


The  Instinct  and  Its 
Corresponding  Emotions 
9.  Sociability   (Lone- 
someness,    Sociableness, 
Hospitality) 


10.  LoAiPETiTiON  (^liinula- 
tion,  Jealousy,  Ambi- 
tion,, etc.) 

11.  Curiosity  (Inquisitive- 
ness,  Longing  to  Know) 


12.  Shyness    (Modesty, 
Bashfulness,  Reserve) 


13.  Ornamentation 
(Beauty,  Display,  Pride 
in  Appearance) 

14.  Imitation 


15.  Revenge    (Anger,   Ha- 
tred, Resentment) 


16.  Cieanliness  (Purity, 
Decency,  Wholesome- 
ness) 

17.  Worship  (Piety,  Rev- 
erence, Faith) 


The  Sort  of  Behavior  to  Which  It 
Prompts  Us 
To  be  gregarious,  to  form  groups,  to 
have  chums,  and  to  react  to  the  ad- 
justments of  other  members  of  our 
group.  (Illustrations,  pages  61  and 
62.) 

Conquest,  leadership,  domination  of  in- 
feriors, rivalry  with  equals,  and 
jealousy  of  superiors.  (Illustra- 
tions, pages  63  and  64.) 

To  examine  novel  objects  for  which 
ready  made  protective  responses  are 
felt  to  exist.  Explorative  and  m- 
vestigative  conduct. 

T^o  avoid  strange  objects  and  situa- 
tions which  are  felt  to  be  superior 
yet  well  disposed,  and  for  which 
there  is  uncertainty  of  protective  re- 
sponse. 

To  decorate  one's  person  or  one's  be- 
longings, and  to  exhibit  them  in  a 
favorable  light.  (Illustration,  page 
65.) 

More  or  less  general  tendencies  to  act 
as  others  act,  to  behave  with  the 
crowd,  etc.     (Illustration,  page  67.) 

To  resent,  by  overt  attack  or  other- 
wise, the  aggression  of  others  against 
ourselves  or  against  those  to  whom 
we  are  devoted. 

To  conceal  or  remove  filth  from  one's 
person  or  from  one's  belongings. 
(Illustration,  page  68.) 

To  reverence,  do  obeisance  to,  and  feel 
subordinated  to  the  hopelessly  su- 
perior. 


HUMAN  INSTINCTS,  NEEDS  AND  EMOTIONS 


77 


The  Instinct  and  Its 
Corresponding  Emotions 

l8.    CONSTRUCTIVENESS 


19.  Sympathy  (Sorrow, 
Pity,  and  their  allies) 

20.  Cunning  (Secrecy,  In- 
trigue, Slyness) 

21.  Pride  (Haughtiness, 
Conceit,  Proud  n  ess, 
etc.) 

22.  Gratitude  (Thankful- 
ness, Gratefulness,  etc.) 

23.  The  Comic  (Laughter, 
iX.musement,  Hilarity) 


24.  Harmony  (Symmetry, 
Proportion,  Balance, 
Stability,  etc.) 


The  Sort  of  Behavior  to  Which  It 
Prompts  Us 

To  build,  create,  invent,  and  construct, 
for  the  sheer  pleasure  of  manipula- 
tion and  success.  (Illustrations, 
pages  71  and  72.) 

To  aid  unfortunates,  especially  those 
who  suffer  in  ways  in  which  we 
have    ourselves   suffered. 

To  plan  in  secret,  to  circumvent,  to 
use  strategy. 

To  favor  our  own  work,  possessions, 
abilities,      etc.      (Illustration,      page 

73-) 

To  feel  and  act  well  disposed  toward 
the  sources  of  our  pleasure. 

This  instinct  shows  itself  chiefly  in  the 
tendency  to  tease  or  banter,  or  to  en- 
joy seeing  others  teased  or  bantered 
by  other  people  or  by  nature. 

The  tendency  to  continue  or  to  effect 
arrangements  in  time  or  space,  which 
display  such  qualities  as  those  indi- 
cated, including  also  Rhythm,  Mel- 
ody, etc. 


The  Relative  Strength  of  Instincts  and  Interests 

It  is  not  enough  that  the  advertising  man  know  the  general 
features  of  these  instinctive  reaction  tendencies.  He  must 
also  know  to  what  degree  he  can  appeal  to  them  in  advertise- 
ments, to  what  degree  this  or  that  appeal  is  strong,  not  only 
in  general  life,  but  particularly  as  a  basis  of  appeal  in  mer- 
chandising. This  will  depend  somewhat  on  the  general 
strength  of  the  instincts,  somewhat  on  the  preceding  tendencies 
of  advertising  copy,  and  partly  on  contemporary  tendencies. 
Thus  when  patent  medicine  advertisements,  with  their  lurid 
claims  and  false  pretenses,  have  strenuously  assaulted  the 
instinct  which  makes  us  long  for  health  and  bodily  comfort, 


78  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

a  breakfast  food  which  claims  to  be  health-giving  may  be  made 
distasteful  by  the  mere  fact  of  its  association  in  the  same  class 
as  the  patent  medicines.  Or  when  every  commodity  is  claim- 
ing virtue  because  of  the  fact  that  it  is  imported,  or  in  a  fron- 
tier region  where  every  commodity  is  imported,  the  prestige 
of  "  Importation  "  loses  what  value  it  might  otherwise  possess. 
Not  onlv  must  the  advertiser  know  human  nature  in  general, 
but  he  must  also  keep  his  finger  on  the  public  pulse  and  know 
what  motives  and  values  are  in  circulation. 

In  our  own  day,  experiments  have  shown  in  quite  definite 
ways  the  relative  strength  of  various  appeals  which  can  be 
used  as  selling  points  in  advertising  copy.  The  experimental 
methods  have  been  checked  up  by  the  analysis  of  actual  ad- 
vertising campaigns  and  the  detailed  examination  of  the  re- 
sults of  particular  pieces  of  copy.  Time  and  again  this  has 
been  done,  especially  in  the  laboratory.  Of  special  interest  is 
the  following  table  of  persuasiveness,  which  shows  the  relative 
strength  of  various  sorts  of  selling  points,  for  the  educated 
classes  of  our  present  day,  when  the  results  for  men  and  women 
are  combined. 

The  Table  of  Persuasiveness 

Showing  the  relative  strength  of  various  appeals  to  in- 
stincts and  interests  as  determined  by  experiments  on  the 
pulHng  power  of  advertisements. 

The  highest  possible  value  is  lOO,  the  lowest  is  o.  Values 
range  thus  from  o  to  lOO,  the  appeal  indicated  by  the  highest 
number  being  the  strongest  in  pulling  power.  The  actual 
vahies  range  from  4  to  94,  with  either  men  or  women,  and 
from  10  to  92  when  men  and  women  are  combined. 

Appeal  Strength 

Healthfulness    92 

Cleanliness  92 

Scientific  Construction   88 

Time  Saved  84 

Appetizing   82 


HUMAN  INSTINCTS,  NEEDS  AND  EMOTIONS  79 

Appeal  Strength 

Efficiency    82 

Safety   80 

Durability    78 

Quality    72 

Modernity 72 

Family  Affection    70 

Reputation  of  Firm 58 

Guarantee    58 

Sympathy    54 

Medicinal   50 

Imitation 50 

Elegance 48 

Courtesy  48 

Economy 48 

Affirmation    42 

Sport   42 

Hospitality 42 

Avoid  Substitutes 32 

Clan  Feeling 18 

Nobby,  etc 16 

Recommendation    14 

Social  Superiority  12 

Imported    10 

Beautifying   , 10 


CHAPTER  VII 

ANALYSIS  OF  THE  COMMODITY 

Application  of  the  Table  of  Persuasiveness 

The  beginner  in  advertising  will  do  well  to  spend  some  time 
in  a  careful  study  of  the  table  of  persuasiveness,  in  a  com- 
parison of  the  various  points  there  presented,  and  in  a  more 
detailed  study  of  the  methods  used  in  securing  the  data.  This 
method  he  will  find  many  uses  for  in  carrying  out  his  own 
plans  and  campaigns  or  in  selecting  the  copy  to  be  run,  the 
points  to  be  stressed,  the  appeal  to  be  made,  etc.  The  table  as 
given  above  is  in  a  generalized  form,  and  applies  to  all  com- 
modities in  general,  or,  more  correctly,  to  such  commodities 
as  might  actually  be  described  by  any  or  all  of  the  points  or 
qualities  mentioned  in  the  table. 

Obviously  there  is  as  a  matter  of  fact  no  such  ideal  or 
universal  commodity.  Thus  durability,  time  saved,  and  beauti- 
fying properties  could  hardly  be  applied  as  descriptive  points 
in  favor  of  food  products;  nor  do  appetizing  and  medicinal 
value  seem  quite  appropriate  as  selling  points  for  clothing  or 
hardware.  What  the  table  really  means  is  this ;  in  so  far  as 
healthfulness  can  be  reasonably  applied  as  a  descriptive  term 
to  any  commodity,  in  just  so  far  is  healthfulness  the  most 
persuasive  quality  possessed  by  that  commodity.  If  health- 
fulness or  cleanliness  do  not  apply  in  an  intelligil)le  or  relevant 
way  to  the  commodity  in  question,  then  the  next  quality  in  the 
table  that  can  relevantly  apply  is  the  strongest  selling  point 
for  that  commodity. 

Given  the  commodity  to  be  advertised,  then,  the  first  thing 

80 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  COMMODITY  8l 

to  do  is  to  determine  what  needs  the  commodity  can  satisfy, 
to  what  instincts  it  can  relevantly  be  made  to  appeal  —  in  other 
words,  the  commodity  must  be  analyzed  into  its  qualities. 
The  list  of  relevant  qualities  may  then  be  compared  with  the 
table  of  persuasiveness,  and  the  relative  order  of  the  various 
selling  points  for  the  commodity  in  question  thus  determined. 
There  will  thus  be  a  separate  table  for  each  commodity,  or  at 
least  various  tables,  w^hich  vary  somewhat  from  commodity 
to  commodity. 

Thus  if  the  commodity  to  be  distributed  is  nails,  the  first 
quality  in  the  table  that  is  relevant  is  perhaps  "  Scientific  Con- 
struction." Then  follow,  in  order  of  value.  Safety,  Duraljil- 
ity,  Quality,  Reputation  of  the  firm,  Guarantee,  Economy,  and 
Recommendation  by  Others.  Drawing  up  a  special  table  for 
the  commodit}^  nails  we  thus  derive  the  follow^ing: 

PULLING    POWER    OF    NAIL    ADVERTISEMENTS 

„  ...       ^  .  Relative 

Sellnip-  Point  ,.  , 

*'  V  alue 

Scientific  Construction  23 

Efficiency  or  Safety 3o 

Durability 70 

Quality   yz 

Reputation  of  the  Firm 58 

Guarantee    58    . 

Economy,  Bargain,  etc 48 

Civic  Pride   18 

Recommendation  by  Others 14 

If  not  nails  but  some  such  commodity  as  breakfast  food  is 
beinsr  advertised,  then  we  would  derive  some  such  table  as  the 
following,  covering  such  qualities  as  Health  fulness,  Cleanliness 
and  Purity,  Appetizing  Qualities,  etc.  It  has  been  clearly 
proved  that  the  points  would  really  have  the  relative  values 
indicated  in  the  table,  when  employed  in  advertisements. 


«    4 


82  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

PULLING    POWER BREAKFAST    FOOD   ADVERTISEMENTS 

c-  „.       -D  ■  .  Relative 

Selling  Point  •        ,,  , 

Value 

Healthfulness 92 

Cleanliness  and  Purity 92 

Appetizing  Qualities   82 

Appeal  to  }^Iother  Love 70 

Reputation  and  Guarantee 58 

Medicinal  Properties 50 

Economy  and  Cheapness 48 

Mere  Assertion  of  \'alue 42 

Hospitality  and  Sport  Uses 42 

Appeal  to  Civic  Pride 18 

Used  by  Social  Superiors 12 

Imported    10 

If  the  article  to  be  advertised  were  a  machine  —  a  typewriter, 
for  example  —  some  such  table  as  the  following  results.  In 
the  case  of  machines,  the  particular  qualities  selected  will  of 
course  depend  more  or  less  on  the  specific  purposes  for  \  hich 
they  may  be  intended,  and  the  urgency  of  the  needs  th  .  are 
thereby  satisfied.  Only  analysis  of  the  commodity  can  reveal 
the  nature  of  the  most  appropriate  appeal. 

4 

PULLING    POWER    OF    TYPEWRITER    ADVERTISEMENTS 

„  „.       T^  .  Relative 

Selling  Point  -.r  , 

**  Value 

Scientific  Construction  88 

Time  Saved  84 

Efiiciency    82 

Durability    78 

Modernity    72 

Reputation  and  Guarantee 58 

Economy    48 

Civic  Pride  and  Patriotism 18 

INIerc  Rccomnicndation   ' 14 

Used  by  Social  Superiors,  or  Imported 10 


ANALYSIS  O^  tHE  COMMODITY  83 

Or  if  the  commodity  is  of  a  decorative  sort,  as  jewelry, 
diamonds,  feathers,  etc.,  some  such  table  as  the  following  re- 
sults : 

PULLING    POWER    OF    JEWELRY   ADVERTISEMENTS 

„  „.       -^  .  Relative 

•         Selling  Point  ^^j^^ 

Quality 72 

Modernity    72 

Reputation  and  Guarantee  ....'. 58 

Elegance 48 

Nobby,   etc 16 

Imported    lo 

The  Forms  and  Varieties  of  Advertisements 

From  the  psychological  point  of  view  advertisements  may 
be  classified  according  to  their  general  purpose  or  intention 
and  also  according  to  the  particular  tasks  which  they  set  them- 
selves. Thus  we  may  have  the  three  following  types,  accord- 
ing to  the  task  attempted : 

I. 'Classified  Advertisement.  Takes  initial  attention,  in- 
terest, and  memory  for  granted,  and  merely  seeks  to  direct  the 
i^sponse. 

2.  Publicity  Advertisement.  Takes  for  granted  the  ele- 
ments of  persuasion,  decision,  and  response,  and  merely  tries 
to  accomplish  the  tasks  which  the  Classified  Advertisement 
explicitly  ignores  —  namely,  to  attract  and  hold  attention,  and 
to  fix  an  impression  in  the  reader's  mind. 

3.  Complete  Advertisement.  Attempts  to  perform  all  the 
various  tasks  of  an  appeal.  These  are,  in  their  logical  order: 
to  attract  initial  attention;  to  hold  attention  in  an  interesting 
way;  to  bring  about  an  association  or  impression  which  will 
have  permanence  or  memory  value;  to  convince,  persuade,  or 
induce ;  and.  finally,  co  suggest  and  lead  to  specific  response. 

Still   differently  classified,   according  to   the   psychological 


A  Good  Time  to  Paint 


Much  painting  should  be  done  this  spring,  whether 
linseed  oil  be  slightly  lower  or  slightly  higher ;  for 
with  the  1910  flax  crop  short  it  seems  unreasonable 
to  expect  a  return  to  the  oil  prices  of  a  few  years  ago. 


■   '  The   thing  to   remember   is  that,   though   high,   paint 

materials  are  not  nearly  so  expensive  as  the  repairing  of  a 
neglected  house.  Even  oil  at  ;^i.oo  or  $1.25  makes  the  paint- 
ing of  the  average  house  cost  only  $4  or  $$  more  than  it  used 
to  cost.  That  isn't  enough  more  to  justify  letting  a  $10,000 
house,  or  even  a  ^5^2,000  house,  go  to,  ruin.'  Paint  it  this  spring. 
It  will  cost  you  less  than  later. 

And  use  "Dutch  Boy  Painter"  white  lead  and  eenuine  linseed  oil.  People 
are  tempted  sometimes,  when  standard  materials  are  high,  to  employ  something 
inferior.      A  great  mistake,  because  not  true  economy. 

Moreover,  the  first  cost  of  genuine  Dutch  Boy  Painter"  white  lead  paint 
is  not  so  great  as  you  may  have  been  led  to  believe.  It  may  surprise  you 
if  you  do  a  little  figuring  for  yourself.  Get  from  your  local  dealer  prices 
on  the  following  ingredients. 


Thii 

12'A  lb..  "Dulch  Boy  Painter 
'A  lallon  fure  linseed  oil 

•white  lead    { 

Vb  pint  Turpentine  drier   - 
makes  I  gallon  Genuine  old-fashi 

Compare  this  with  the  cost  of  any  other  paint  you  would  think  of 
using.     You'll  find-  the  best  is  also  the  cheapest. 

OUR  FREE  PAINTING  HELPS 

We  try  to  be  of  service  to  those  about  to  paint.     We  will  send  you,  if  asktil, 
color   schemes,  miscellaneous  painting  directions,  and   name   of  "likie   List" 
Painters  in  your  community,  men  who  use  our  "Dutch  Boy  Painter"  white 
lead.     Ask  for  "Helps  No. 143"     That  will  include  everything. 

TO    PAINTERS:      If  you   are   a  skilled  wliite-lcadcr  and  use 
"Dutch  Boy  Painter",  white   lead,  send    us    your    name    for    our 
"Painters'  Blue  List."    Write  us  for  Blue  List  Circular  No.  14 S. 
It  gives  particulars. 

National  Lead  Company- 

An  OjSice  in  each  of  the  foUo'wms  cit'trs: 

New  York     Boston     Buff,ilo     Cincinnati     CliicaBO 

Cleveland  St.  Louis        San  Francisco 

John  T.  I..>wi5  &  Bros.  Co..  Philadelphia 

National  Load  &  Oil  Co..  Pittsburch 


^» 


■iiStt 


A  complete  advertiscnient 


84 


Don't  Be  a  Ringer 


I  cau  qualify  fortbe  position  before  which  I  mark  X. 


Own  the  Time  Clock 

Why  not  own  the  time  clock  instead  of  "ringing  up"?  There 
is  no  reason  why  you  can't  do  it  if  you  have  ambition. 

You  begin  by  making  up.your  mind  that  you  want  to  do  better. 
Then  you  decide  upon  the  work  most  congenial  to  you.  It  may 
be  any  occupation  listed  on  the. coupon.     You  simply  indicate  your 

choice  by  marking  the  coupon 

and  sending   it   to   the   Inter-    |     INTERNATIONALCORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS 

national    .Correspondence' 

Schools.     In   return   you  will 

receive    without    charge     a 

wealth  of  information  on  the 

trade  or   profession   in    which 

you  wish   to   perfect  yourself. 

The  I.  C.  S.  will  show  you 
how  to  start  at  the  beginning, 
or  will  enable  you  to  advance 
from  the  point  where  you  are 
today.  There  -is  no  lost  time 
with  I.  C.  S.  instruction.  It 
is  designed  to  put  money  in 
a  man's  pocket  right   away. 


nine  SDp< 
Mine  F 
PlaRibinir,St«am  Flttiar 
Concrcle  Cointmellon 
Civil  Enelneer 
Tritile  UaouUfturlnir 
Stationary  En^ln 


Urchknienl  Drnrumi 
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WlDdov>-  TrlmniliiB 
Show  Card  Wrlilne 
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Stenofrrapher 
Bookkeeper 
Poultry  Farming 


Present  Occupatioa 


Street  and  No. . 


"  Human-nature  "  copy 
8s 


Making  "Dreams" 

Come  True 


Depends  largely  upon  clear  thinking. 

Coffee  is  one  of  the  most  subtle  of  all  enemies  of  a  clear 
mind.     Not  for  everyone — but  for  many. 

'  If  you  value   comfort   and    the   power   to   "do  things," 

suppose  you  change  from  coffee  to  well-made 

POSTUM 


"There's  a  Reason" 


Postum   Cereal    Company,    Limited,  Battle  Creek,    Michigan,  U.  S.  A. 

C.n.di.n  Poilum  CitmI  Co..  Lid..  U'indior,  Onl. 

"  Human-nature  "  advertisement 
86 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  COMMODITY 


87 


mechanism  they  employ  or 
invoke,  advertisements  may 
be  classified  as  follows: 

1.  Reflex  Appeals.  Di- 
rected in  a  mechanical  way 
toward  the  simple  reflexes, 
such  as  bright  flashing  lights, 
moving  objects,  alternating 
signs,  curious  noises,  etc. 
These  do  not  attempt  to  sell 
goods,  nor  usually  even  to 
set  up  any  kind  of  mental  as- 
sociation. They  are  merely 
devices  for  getting  the  eye 
or  ear  of  the  passerby  di- 
rected toward  some  other 
appeal,  more  strictly  an  ad- 
vertisement. 

2.  Short  Circuit  Appeals. 
Definite  and  concentrated 
appeals  to  one  or  more  spe- 
cific instincts,  feelings,  emo- 
tions, or  ideals  of  the  reader. 
The  attempt  here  is  to  in- 
fluence by  simple  suggestion ; 
argument  and  deliberation 
are  avoided,  no  mention  is 
made  of  rival  commodities, 
but  some  strong  feeling  is 
played  upon.  This  short 
circuit,  "  human-nature  "  ap- 
peal may  be  either  through 
reading  matter,  picture,  or 
arrangement. 


1.500  Z.HE  coWifiia  3 

Superior  in  Every  Way 
Over  1,500  Users  Can  Testify 

1  THE  only  elevating  trucking  system  proven  efficient 
■*■  by  actual  use  in  1,500  plants — more  than  all  others 
combined. 

OPERATES  with  least  effort  and  least  number  of 

movements.    Turns  in  shortest  space. 

O EQUIPPED  with  Gumey  Chrome  Vanadium  harden- 

**  ed  steel  bearings  and  best  steel  balls.  Gives  30% 
easier  running  than  others.  Has  a  bearing  capacity  of 
5,400  lbs. 

A LOADS  locked  in  place  automatically  and  positively 

"  with  powerful  levers,  by  simply  pressing  down  handle. 
No  uncertam  springs  or  catches  to  let  go. 

e PRESSING  on  foot  pedal  opens  release  check  and 

**  lowers  the  load  to  floor  without  shock  or  jar.  Not 
necessary  to  push  back  on  handle. 

(: CHEAPEST  trucking  device  on  the  market,  because 

^  one  Transveyor  handles  100  platforms,  and  the  Trans- 
veyor  is  constructed  to  stand  an  equivalent  amount  of  use— 
and  abuse.  It  takes  a  machine  to  do  the  work  of  100  trucks. 
The  Cowan  Transveyor  is  the  only  elevating  machine. 

*7 THE  three-wheel  suspension  guarantees  easy  steering, 

•  and  positively  prevents  upsets  from  quick  turns  or 
running  over  obstructions.  Four-wheeled  trucks  are  lacking 
in  this  stability. 

Q THE  Cowan  Transveyor  is  the  pioneer  in  its  field, 

0  and  possesses  the  essential  points  of  merit  which  only 
experience  can  teach. 

y/riU  for  New  Catalog  "E** 

COWAN  TRUCK  CO. 

Makers  of  tlie  Cowkb  TraiuTeyors 
Holyoke, 
The  Cowan  "\     Mats. 
Release  Check  7     , 

Agenta 


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TRIAL: 

We  recommend 
that    every    buyer 
look  over  and  ofier- 
ate  a  Cowan  Trans- 
veyor before   pur- 
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know   that 
features  are  requir- 
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features  cannot  be- 
explained  by  cuts 
or  copy.     We 
know  that  only 
the  Cowan 
Transveyor 
embodies 
these  features, 


WORKS  WITHOUT 
SHOCK  OR  JAR 


"  Reason-whv  "  copv 


e 

I 
t 

8 

s 


TORRIDlPili 
FRIGID  AIASM 


M0FDI6 


^Stands  the  Test* 
WSevere  Weather 


The  hottest  weather  can-  ^  *0.    ■♦*■, 

not  cause  J  -  M  Asbestos  Roofing  to  dry  out,        ""~       ~ 
melt  or  run— the  coldest  weather  cannot  crack 
it — gases,  chemical  fumes,  or  salt  air  cannot  injure  it.    There  is  not 
a  particle  of  perishable  material  in  this  roofing. 

J-M  Asbestos  Roofing  is  practically  indestructible  because  it  is 
mineral  through  and  through.  It  is  composed  of  Asbestos  and  Trini- 
dad Lake  Asphalt.  Asbestos  is  a  rock  and,  of  course,  everlasting. 
And  Trinidad  Lake  Asphalt  is  the  same  material  that  has  withstood 
the  severe  duties  of  street  paving  for  over  forty  years. 

There  are  buildings  in  all  parts  of  the  country  where  this  roofing  is  still  giving 
satisfactory  service  after  more  than  a  quarter-century  of  wear. 

Due  to  the  non-conducting  qualities  of  the  Asbestos,  this  roofing  keeps  build- 
ings cooler  in  hot  weather  and  warmer  in  cold  weather.  Being  composed  of 
Asbestos,  it  affords  perfect  fire  protection. 

And,  with  all  these  advantages,  it  costs  less  per  year  of  service  than  any  other 
roofing  because  it  lasts  longer  and  never  needs  to  be  coated  or  graveled, 

J-M  Asbestos  Roofing  is  suitable  for  any  type  of  building,  anywhere.  Comes 
icady  to  lay. 

Sold  by  hardware  and  lumber  dealers — or  shipped  direct  from  our  nearest 
branch  where  we  have  no  dealer. 

Write  for  sample  of  the'  curious  Asbestos  rock  from  which  this  roofing  is 
made,  and  our  Book  No.  1839 

H.  W.  JOHNS-MANVILLE  CO. 


I 


Manufacturers  ok  asbestos 
AND  Magnesia  Products 


Asbestos  Roofings,  Packings, 
Electrical  Supplies,  Etc. 


ChicaRo 


Detroit 


Louisville  New  York  San  Francisco 

Cincinnati  Indianapolis  Milwaukee  Omaha  Seattle   \ 

Cleveland  Kansas  City  Minneapolis  Philadelphia  St.  Louis 

Dallas  Loa  Angeles  New  Orleans  Pittsburgh  Syracuse 

For  Canada:  THE  CANADIAN  H.  VV.  JOHNS-MAN'VILLE  CO.,  LLMITED 
nto  Montreal  WinnipeK  Vancouver  17S3 


**  Reason-why  "  copy 


88 


There,  Gentlemen,  is 

-REAL  TIRE  PROTECTION! 


HAVE  Solved  the  Problom  of  Perfect  Tire  Protection      My  •■  Bricl^on"  Guaranteed  Detac 

able  Tread  Has  Stood  the  Severest  Tests  In  Actual  Use  by  Thousands  of  Automobile  Owners 

Under  All  Sorts  of  Road  Conditions.     I  H,now  This  to  Be  a  Fact,  Because.  (1)  I  Make;  tho 

Bricuon"  Tread  In  a  Manner  That  Leaves  No  Question  pf  Doubt  As  to  Its  Quality: 

(2)  Hundreds  of  Users  of  My  Tread  All  Over  the  Country  Have  Assured  Me  That  The 

Brlctson"  Is  the  One  and  Only  R^AL  Tire  Protector. 


TO  DEALERS 


ivo  years  Ago,  When  I  perfected  My  Tread.  1 
Determined  to  Sell  It  Direct  to  Consumers.  So 
That  1  CoiJd  Trace  Results  of  Each  Sale  and 
Know  for  Myself  Just  What  My  Goods  Were 
Doing.  The  Results  of  This  Direct  Selling  Policy  Have 
So  Thoroughly  Convinced  Me  of  the  Practical  Perfection 
of  the  "  Brlctson"  Tread,  That  I  Am  >'ow  Ready  to  Place 
■"Briclson"  Agencies  With  Leading  Dealers  Throughout  the 
Country,  Applications  Will  Be  Considered  in  Order  of  Receipt, 
ve  Dealers.  Who  Want  to  Represent  the  Only  Rf;.\L  Tiro  Pro- 
tector Backed  by  the  Greatest  Advertising  Campaign  E^yer  Undertaken  on 
a  Similar  Proposition.  Should  Get  Busy  and  Wire.  Write  or  Phone  for  Full  Particulars  of  my  Bricison  Tread 
l*roposiUoii  at  Oncel 

"The  Enemy   of   Tire  Expenae  " 

Consider  the  followliig  description  of  how  this  Tread  Is  made: 
First.  I  use  an  outer  Ia>ier  of  specially  'tanned,  extra  pliable  Chrome 
Leather,  which  never  becomes  hard  or  brittle — never  cracks — even  when  con 
tlnuously  eiposed  on  the  tire  to  all  sorts  of  conditions — water,  snow,  slei  t 
dirt,  etc.  Next  to  the  outer  thickness  of  Chrome  Leather  are  five  layers — dicl( 
you  get  that.  "  five  layers  ?  *' — of  the  very  best  qualit.v  tire  fabric.  I  might 
use  only  three  or  four  layers,  and  I  might  use  a  poorer  quality  of  fabric,  but  m> 
experience  has  proved  that  five  layers  are  necessary  to  obtain  perfect /strength 
and  in  preventing  the  tread  from  slipping 

Next   to  these  Ave  layers    of  tiro 

fabric  is  a  layer  of  leather.     Please 

note  this:  through  the  outer   layer  of 

Chrome  Leather,  then  through  the  &\  t 

layers    of    tire  fabric   are   driven   tht 

steel  studs  and  steel  rivets.    These  art 

clinched  into  the  layer  of  leather  which 

Immediately  follows   next   to  the  tin 

fabric,   and  then  there  is  yet  another 

layer  of  leather   which    covers    those 

clinched  ends  of  rivets  and  studs  an  I 

prevents  them  from  coming  in  contact 

with  the  rubber  tire.     Consider,  too 

the  method  of  fastening  the  Brlctson 

Guaranteed   Tread   to  the  tire.     The 

ends   of  the  outer  layer  of   Chrome 

Leather  are  skived  or  sliced  thin  where 

they  are  placed  between  the  I'ubbcr  tire 
and  rim.  This  does  away  with  any  possibility  of  thick  ends  which  might  crumnle 
up, -and  makes  possible  a  snug  (It  of  the  Brictson  Tread  over  the  rubber  tire 
The  Tread  is  slipped  In  place  over  the  deflated  tire  and  is  not  held  to 
the  tire  or  the  rim  by  an  artificial  fastener,  such  as  a  hook,  or  buckle,  a  wire 
clasp,  or  anything  of  the  sort.  Air  pressiu'e  between  the  tire  and  rim  hoi  Is 
Tread  to  the  tire  after  it  is  inflated.  It  is  such  construction  as  this  that  cuts 
your  tire  expense  to  a  minimum. 

Ask  Your  Dealer  for  Brichon  Detacbable  Tire  Treads 

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Guaranteed  Detachable  Tread.     If,  for  Any  Aeaton,  He  Cannot  Supply        , 
You,  Write  Me  Direct,  Giving  Dealer',  Name,  and  Size  of  Tire,  and  I       ^ 
Will  Send  You  FREE,  "The  Enemy  of  TirfExiieme."  MailCoupon!      ^^ . 

O.  A.  BRICTSON,  President         J^ 

BricUon  M'f  g  Co.,  1921  Briction  Building,  Brookinn,  S.  D.       ^^     Name. 


Crois  Section  ol  Briction  Tread 


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Long  circuit  advertisement 


89 


90  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

3.  Long  Circuit  Appeal.  So-called  "  reason-why  "  ^opy, 
which  argues,  deliberately  invites  comparison  and  argumenta- 
tion, weighing  of  selling  points  and  advantages.  This  will 
usually  take  the  form  of  text,  although  other  devices  may  also 
be  frequently  employed. 

4.  Rationalization  Appeal.  This  fourth  type  has  special 
psychological  interest  and  is  based  ori  a  principle  which  is  only 
recently  showing  itself  in  the  field  of  advertising.  One  of  the 
striking  tendencies  of  human  beings  is  to  act,  judge,  believe, 
or  vote  on  strictly  instinctive,  emotional  grounds,  and  then, 
after  the  act  is  committed,  to  try  to  justify  or  defend  it  by  in- 
tellectual and  logical  reasons.  Thus  we  believe  in  immor- 
tality because  we  prefer  it,  want  it,  have  an  instinctive  and  emo- 
tional yearning  for  it.  Then  having  formulated  our  belief 
on  these  purely  non-rational  grounds,  we  search  and  search 
for  arguments  which  we  can  give  to  our  neighbors  in  justifica- 
tion of  our  belief.  We  would  like  them  to  think  that  we  our- 
selves believe  on  the  grounds  of  the  logical  arguments.  But 
in  our  heart  of  hearts  we  know  that  we  first  believed,  and 
only  when  our  belief  was  challenged  did  we  search  for  logical 
proofs  or  reasons. 

Use  of  the  Rationalization  Appeal 

Men  buy  automobiles  in  the  same  way.  I  buy  my  car  be- 
cause my  neighbor  has  one,  because  it  is  the  fashion  to  have  one. 
because  it  will  gratify  my  vanity  or  satisfy  my  pride.  Then 
having  bought  the  car,  I  look  about  for  logical  justifications 
which  I  can  give  for  my  conduct.  It  is  at  this  point  that  I 
discover  that  "  It  saves  time,"  "  It  entertains  the  family," 
*'  It  gives  us  needed  relaxation,"  "  It  saves  car  fare,"  etc. 

The  advertising  man  is  beginning  to  understand  this  human 
tendency,  and  frequently  advertisements  will  be  found  which 
begin  with  a  distinctly  emotional,  short-circuit  appeal,  thus 
persuading  and  seducing  the  reader.     Then,  at  a  later  point. 


^:Sa». 


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Rationalization  appeal 
91 


92  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

the  writer  hastens  to  add  a  series  of  logical  reasons,  which 
probably  exercise  but  little  influence  on  the  prospect's  own 
decisions,  but  they  fortify  him  against  the  objections  of  his 
mother-in-law,  his  employer,  his  banker,  and  his  conscience. 
This  represents  a  distinct  type  of  appeal  which  is  coming  more 
and  more  into  prominence.  It  takes  advantage  in  a  very  clever 
way  of  the  "  rationalizing  "  tendency  of  all  of  us. 

The  rationalization  appeal  is  especially  appropriate  for  com- 
modities which,  although  they  make  a  strong  personal  appeal, 
encounter  strong  social  or  moral  resistance,  commodities  which 
social  expectation,  custom,  business  obligations,  or  group 
habits  tend  to  discourage.  Thus  in  selling  colored  garments 
to  a  Quaker  a  definite  social  taboo  would  need  to  be  overcome 
by  a  strong  personal  appeal,  supported  by  a  set  of  rational 
justifications.  The  personal  appeal  would  be  calculated  to  in- 
fluence the  individual,  the  rational  justifications  would  be  cal- 
culated to  afford  him  a  defense  against  group  expectation. 
In  much  the  same  way  articles  that  are  unduly  expensive  or 
luxurious,  while  they  minister  strongly  to  individual  satis- 
factions, may  violate  the  social  or  family  expectations  of 
economy,  saving,  and  personal  sacrifice,  and  for  such  articles 
the  rationalization  appeal  is  particularly  effective.  There  are 
also  articles  in  the  case  of  which  it  may  be  desirable  on  the 
part  of  the  purchaser  not  to  have  explicitly  emphasized  the 
actual  motive  of  purchase,  and  in  such  cases  also  supporting 
rationalizations  will  be  useful  expedients.  In  the  case  of  the 
Brunswick  "Baby  Grand"  advertisement  on  page  91,  the 
actual  sale  is  made  through  appeal  to  parental  instinct  —  but 
the  mother  who  tries  to  keep  father  and  the  boys  at  home 
nights  does  not  want  her  motive  explicitly  emphasized,  and 
the  argumentative  copy  in  the  latter  portion  of  the  space  suit- 
ably rationalizes  the  purchase. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

ESTABLISHING  ASSOCIATIONS 

The  Importance  of  Association 

Given  a  knowledge  of  the  individuals  of  the  community 
with  their  original  and  acquired  needs,  and  given  the  analysis 
of  the  commodity  into  specific  qualities  which  may  be  presented 
as  able  to  satisfy  these  needs  —  the  next  step  in  the  psycho- 
economic  technique  of  advertising  is  that  of  establishing  asso- 
ciations, in  the  thinking  and  acting  of  people,  between  the  need 
and  the  commodity  in  question. 

A  common  blunder  of  advertisements  consists  in  assuming 
that  the  mere  repetition  and  constant  reiteration  of  the  name 
of  a  brand,  a  firm  name,  a  trade-mark,  will  effect  such  a  stamp- 
ing in  that  a  sale  will  be  effected  by  brute  force.  The  theory 
is  psychologically  wrong.  What  is  desired  is  not  merely  that 
the  community  shall  be  familiar  with  the  name  of  a  brand. 
Familiarity  may  breed  contempt.  Connection,  association, 
rather  than  brute  impression,  is  what  will  be  effective  —  con- 
nection of  such  a  kind  that,  given  the  moment  of  need,  the 
brand  in  question  will  come  to  mind  rather  than  any  other 
brand.  Not  the  mere  driving  in  of  one  idea,  but  the  connect- 
ing of  two  ideas,  is  the  task  of  advertising.  In  this  process  the 
following  laws  may  be  usefully  borne  in  mind. 

The  Law  of  Contiguity 

In  general,  the  best  way  of  establishing  mental  associations 
between  two  things  is  by  presenting  them  together.  Thus 
"  Abraham  "  at  once  makes  me  think  "  Lincoln,"  because  these 
two  words  have  so  frequently  been  seen  together.     No  matter 

93 


94  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

how  familiar  I  may  be  with  the  word  "  Lincoln,"  that  word 
will  not  tend  to  come  into  my  mind  when  I  think  "  Abraham  " 
unless  this  association  by  contiguity  has  been  formed.  Sim- 
ilarly, the  mere  repetition  of  "  Yuban,"  "  Yuban,"  "  Yuban," 
does  not  lead  me  to  think  "  Yuban  "  when  I  go  to  purchase 
coffee,  unless,  along  with  the  word  "  Yuban  "  the  idea  "  Cof- 
fee "  has  also  been  presented.  In  advertising,  then,  the  law 
of  contiguity  means  that  whenever  the  name  of  the  article  is 
presented  it  should  be  accompanied  by  the  idea  of  the  need 
which  the  commodity  is  to  satisfy. 

The  Law  of  Sequence 

As  a  matter  of  fact  two  ideas  are  never  present  at  precisely 
the  same  moment ;  so  that  "  contiguity  "  really  means  rapid 
succession.  One  idea  being  given,  the  other  follows  directly 
in  its  wake.  So  in  reading  advertisements  one  word  of  a 
headline  is  seen  before  another,  one  part  of  a  paragraph  fol- 
lows an  earlier  part,  so  that  a  "  train  of  ideas  "  is  set  up.  The 
law  of  sequence  states  that  mental  associations  work  more 
easily  in  one  direction  than  in  the  other.  "  Forward  associa- 
tions," that  is,  associations  in  the  direction  in  which  the  ideas 
were  originally  presented,  are  stronger,  more  lively,  and  more 
easily  recur  than  backward  associations. 

This  is  especially  true  of  such  ideas  as  take  the  form  of 
spoken  words  and  other  sorts  of  acts  that  involve  motor  proc- 
esses. Thus  I  have  seen  the  letters  in  the  word  "  advertis- 
ing "  so  often,  one  immediately  after  the  other,  that  I  can 
begin  with  "  a,"  "  d,"  "  v,"  and  go  on  quickly  and  easily  to 
"  e,"  "  r,"  "  t,"  and  all  the  rest.  That  is,  I  can  spell  the  word. 
But  it  is  a  very  significant  fact  that  I  cannot  spell  the  same 
word  backzi'ard.  The  letter  "  a  "  calls  up  "  d  "  and  these  two 
call  up  "  V,"  etc.  But  if  I  begin  with  "  g  "  and  try  to  reverse 
the  direction  of  the  original  sequence  I  can  proceed  only  with 
difficulty. 


ESTABLISHING  ASSOCIATIONS  95 

In  advertising  this  means  that  ideas  should  be  presented  in 
the  order  which  they  will  later  be  desired  to  take.  The  first 
idea  in  the  mind  of  the  prospective  purchaser  will  be  the  feel- 
ing of  some  particular  need  —  such  as  "  hotel."  Effective 
advertising  means  that  when  this  need  is  felt  it  leads  at  once, 
by  virtue  of  established  associations,  to  an  advertised  article, 
such  as  the  hotel  known  by  the  name  "  McAlpin."  First  the 
need,  then  the  commodity,  is  the  sequence  in  the  mind  of  the 
buyer.  This  should  be,  therefore,  the  order  in  which  the  two 
ideas  are  presented  in  the  advertisment,  in  the  brand  name,  the 
trade-mark,  etc.  Such  names  as  the  following  observe  this 
psychological  law  of  association: 

Hotel  Astor  Cafe  Boulevard 

Parfumerie  Pinaud  Cocktail  Bocardi 

Academy  Riverview  Encyclopsedia  Britannica 

Sulphur  Cream  Ramsdell  Magazin  du  Louvre 

Eau  de  Cologne  Theatre  Franqais 

Contrasting  with  these  names  are  those  such  as  the  following, 
which  fail  to  take  advantage  of  the  law  and  in  so  doing  sacri- 
fice real  association  and  memory  value : 

Douglas  Shoes  Childs'  Restaurant 

Mennen's  Talcum  Spey  Royal  Whiskey 

Ridgefield  School  Universal  Encyclopedia 

Colgate's  Dental  Cream  Bloomingdale's  Store 

Ivory  Soap  Century  Theater 

The  same  law  holds  of  the  arrangement  of  items  in  the  ad- 
vertisement as  a  whole.  The  common  practice  of  beginning 
the  advertisement  with  the  name  of  the  firm  or  brand,  the 
trade-mark,  etc.,  and  following  it  by  a  description  of  the  need 
it  satisfies  may  gratify  the  personal  vanity  of  the  firm,  but  it 
does  not  establish  the  most  effective  associations  in  the  mind 
of  the  reader.  In  reading  the  advertisement  the  mind  should 
be  led  in  the  direction  in  which  it  should  go  on  the  occasion  of 


96 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


need.  Thus,  of  the  two  layouts  given  below,  the  one  is  in- 
effective, since  it  fails  to  establish  the  correct  association  habit 
in  the  mind  of  the  reader.  The  other  is  effective,  since  every 
time  it  is  read  it  reimpresses  just  the  desired  sequence  of  ideas. 


A  Unique  Kind  of  Gift 


Family  Portraits  in 


The  Copley  Prints 


Curtis  and  Cameron 


Boston Mass. 


This  arrangement  is  correct, 
since  the  desired  mental  habit  is 
set  up  by  every  reading.  The 
need  (gift)  suggests  the  general 
commodity  (portrait)  ;  this  in 
turn  leads  to  the  specific  brand 
(Copley)  and  the  firm  name  and 
address  follow  at  once.  This  is 
as  natural  a  process  as  saying  the 
alphabet  forwards. 


Curtis  and  Cameron 


The  Copley  Prints 


Family  Portraits 


Best  of  Gifts 


Boston  -  - 


Mass. 


This  arrangement  is  incorrect, 
since  no  one  of  the  desired  asso- 
ciations is  eflfected.  When  the 
need  of  gifts  is  felt  there  is  no 
inclination  to  turn  backwards  to 
Copley  Prints  —  nothing  comes  to 
mind  but  "  Boston,  Mass." 
Knowing  the  alphabet  in  one 
direction  does  not  imply  the  abil- 
ity to  repeat  it  backwards. 


The  Law  of  Feeling  Tone 

It  is  generally  true  that  associations  accompanied  by  pleas- 
antness tend  to  be  reinforced  and  made  more  permanent, 
certain,  and  strong.  Associations  accompanied  In*  disagree- 
ableness  tend  on  the  other  hand  to  l)e  weakened  and  inhibited, 
and  to  disappear  more  quickly.     Thus  I  teach  a  dog  to  beg  by 


ESTABLISHING  ASSOCIATIONS  97 

saying,  "  Beg,  Rover,"  repeatedly.  Sometimes,  by  mere  ac- 
cident, he  will  rise  upon  his  hind  legs  at  the  moment  in  which 
I  say  these  words.  At  once  I  reward  him  by  giving  him  a 
piece  of  meat,  an  apple,  or  a  caress.  The  agreeableness  caused 
by  the  reward  reinforces  this  association  between  hearing  the 
words,  "  Beg,  Rover,"  and  the  act  of  begging  or  standing  on 
the  hind  legs.  Connections  not  acting  at  that  moment  are  not 
thus  reinforced.  So  it  comes  about  that  in  time  this  associa- 
tion is  made  stronger  than  all  others,  and  the  dog  has  then 
learned  the  trick  —  the  stimulus  always  calls  out  the  response. 
In  much  the  same  way  the  advertiser  proceeds.  He  puts  his 
advertisement  on  a  useful  novelty,  such  as  a  calendar,  a  pencil, 
a  soap  dish,  a  memorandum  book,  and  then  presents  the  novelty 
to  the  prospective  buyer,  in  the  form  of  a  gift.  He  trusts  that 
the  gift  will  be  agreeable  and  that  this  pleasure  or  feeling- 
tone  will  reinforce  the  association  of  his  name  with  some  mo- 
ment of  need.  The  success  of  this  device  will  obviously  depend 
on  the  amount  of  agreeableness  really  produced  and  on  the 
relevance  of  the  novelty  to  the  need  in  question.  But,  in  a 
still  more  conspicuous  way,  should  the  advertiser  utilize  the 
law  of  feeling-tone  when  he  prepares  his  advertising  copy. 
In  this  connection  another  law  is  also  important,  viz. :  the 
law  of  fusion. 

The  Law  of  Fusion 

According  to  this  law  an  observer  does  not  analyze  his 
feelings  of  agreeableness  and  disagreeableness,  strain  and  re- 
laxation, comfort  and  distress,  so  as  to  attribute  them  solely 
to  their  actual  sources.  No  matter  w-hat  the  real  source  of 
discomfort,  it  colors  all  that  we  do  or  think  at  the  moment. 
Thus  when  I  have  a  bad  toothache  everything  else  in  the  world 
seems  wrong  too  —  the  weather  was  never  quite  so  mean,  my 
friends  were  never  quite  so  insistent  nor  my  enemies  so  an- 
noying.    In  other  words,  the  discomfort  caused  by  a  tooth- 


98  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

ache  spreads  over  everything  that  happens  while  the  ache  lasts. 
Things  otherwise  pleasant  become  less  interesting,  otherwise 
indifferent  things  become  decidedly  annoying  while  the  ordin- 
ary mildly  annoying  thing  becomes  a  source  of  acute  misery. 

Similarly  in  reading  advertisements,  the  feeling  aroused  by 
each  item  of  the  copy  and  the  arrangement  tends  to  spread  over 
the  whole  experience,  including  the  association  presented.  The 
association  will  be  more  or  less  effective,  vivid,  and  permanent, 
depending,  in  part,  on  the  w-ay  in  which  it  is  dressed  out,  on  the 
company  in  which  it  is  found,  and  on  the  past  experience  which 
it  revives. 

Literary  and  Artistic  Aspects  of  Copy 

The  literary  and  artistic  aspects  of  copy  and  arrangement 
are  therefore  highly  important,  on  strictly  psychological 
grounds.  These  factors  will  be  particularly  developed  in  other 
sections  of  this  text  book.  It  will  suffice  here  to  point  out 
what  features  of  an  advertisement  may  arouse  definite  feeling- 
tone  and  thus  help  determine  the  strength  of  the  association. 
Chief  among  these  features  are  the  following. 

1.  Form  and  Arrangement 

The  character,  quality,  and  direction  of  lines;  the  shapes 
and  ratios  of  masses,  spaces,  and  areas;  the  relations  of  bal- 
ance, harmony,  stability  —  all  these  are  items  in  an  elaborate 
alphabet  of  feeling  and  expression.  As  much  may  often  be 
said  by  the  appropriate  use  of  these  various  elements  and  prin- 
ciples of  arrangement  as  by  the  text  of  the  copy  itself.  The 
associations  presented  in  the  text  may  be  either  reinforced 
or  confirmed  or  weakened  and  denied  through  the  feeling-tone 
aroused  by  the  formal  arrangement  of  the  material. 

2.  Color 

Hues,  intensities,  brightness,  harmony,  and  balance.  In 
the  lives  of  civilized  people  colors  and  color  combinations  soon 


ESTABLISHING  ASSOCIATIONS  99 

come  to  possess  the  power  of  provoking  strong  and  varied 
feelings  of  excitement  and  calm,  and  their  related  feelings. 
The  appropriateness  of  colors  to  commodities,  qualities,  pur- 
poses, the  physiological  significance  and  the  historical  sug- 
gestiveness  of  color  as  a  means  of  expression,  the  facts  of  color 
preference,  the  value  of  color  in  conveying  definiteness  and  rich- 
ness of  meaning  and  description,  all  these  items  are  important 
in  the  general  task  of  presenting  and  impressing  an  association. 

3.  Words 

Words  are  the  very  soul  of  thinking.  Not  only  are  the  as- 
sociations between  need  and  commodity  usually  represented  in 
verbal  terms  but  the  very  character  of  the  verbal  dress  has 
much  to  do  with  the  effectiveness  of  the  association.  In  them- 
selves, as  combinations  of  spoken  and  heard  sounds,  words 
provoke  distinct  feelings  of  attraction  and  repulsion.  In  com- 
bination with  other  words  this  element  of  euphony  is  given 
still  greater  prominence,  especially  when  the  influence  of  rhyme, 
rhythm,  force,  stress,  and  the  factors  of  unity,  coherence, 
and  emphasis  are  added.  In  general  it  is  well  to  remember 
that  sounds  which  are  easy  to  speak  are  usually  agreeable  to 
listen  to,  while  sounds  that  are  difficult  of  articulation  are 
likely  to  be  unpleasant  to  the  ear. 

In  selecting  trade  names,  in  devising  slogans,  headlines, 
memory  verses,  etc.,  it  is  frequently  useful  to  supplement  this 
general  test  of  "  Easy  pronunciation  means  agreeable  sound," 
by  the  following  more  definite  rules  of  euphony : 

(a)  Abrupt  consonants  are  easiest  in  alternation  with 
vowels  —  as  in  such  words  as  "cataleptic,"  "epileptic,"  "pit- 
ter-patter." 

(b)  Mute  sounds  and  vowels  suggest  lightness  and  rapidity 
—  as  in  the  word  "  tintinabulation." 

(c)  Liquids  or  sibilants  and  vowels  suggest  soft,  slow  mel- 
ody—  as  "Carmen  Sylva,"  "Mediterranean." 


lOO         PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

(d)  Sharp  mutes  (p,  t,  k,  f,  th)  and  flat  mutes  (b,  v,  d,  g) 
cannot  easily  be  sounded  together.  Notice  the  difficuhy  in 
pronouncing  "Lake  Ktahden." 

(e)  Cumulation  of  consonants  makes  difficult  pronuncia- 
tion—  as  in  "adjudged,"  "pledged.'' 

( f )  Long  vowels  out  of  accent  are  hard  to  pronounce.  Note 
the  "  u  "  in  "  contribute  "  as  compared  with  the  same  vowel 
in  "  contribution." 

(g)  It  is  better  to  avoid  too  frequent  repetition  of  the  same 
or  similar  sounds  — 

Gilbey's  Spey  Royal  runs  swift  as  the  Spey, 
The  famous  swift  river  of  Scotland. 

(h)  It  is  desirable  to  avoid  clash  of  vowels  in  the  middle 
of  words  and  between  words.  It  is  not  so  bad  if  one  is  short 
and  the  other  long.  Thus  compare  "  go  over "  and  "  go 
off." 

In  addition  to  these  purely  phonetic  factors  there  must  be 
considered  the  literary  associations  which  cluster  about  words, 
regardless  of  their  origin  or  construction.  Thus  "  horse  " 
and  "  steed  "  denote  the  same  animal,  but  the  two  words 
convey  very  different  feeling-tone.  "  Lemon  squash  "  may 
be  as  easy  to  pronounce  as  "  lemon  crush,"  but  the  latter  sounds 
much  more  like  an  agreeable  drink  than  does  the  former. 

For  an  interesting  study  of  the  make  tip  of  trade  names, 
and  for  fertile  suggestions  as  to  the  various  principles  followed 
in  their  construction,  the  student  should  consult  an  article  by 
Prof.  Louise  Pound  — "  W'ord-Coinage  and  Modern  Trade 
Names,"  Dialect  Notes,  pages  29-41,  19 14. 

4.  Typography 

Of  special  importance  are  feelings  of  strain  and  relaxation. 
In  advertising,  these  feelings  come  chiefly  as  a  result  of  the  ease 
or  difficulty  of  reading  printed  matter.     Legibility  makes  for 


ESTABLISHING  ASSOCIATIONS 


lOI 


PRICES    ylND    TERMS 
(East  oj  the  rocky  Mounlnins) 

I  The  Virluolo  in  Hallel  &  Dai)!s  Piino,  ma- 
hoganu.  C  oloniol  J  sign,  $700.  The  Virluolo 
innallei  &  Daih  Piano,  A rls-and-Crafls  case. 
$775  In  C'  naatj  I  iano,  mahogant/  or  Walnut, 
$575.  Lexington  Player  Piano,  $450  to$485. 
Terrns:  TIree  tjears  in  wh  ch  to  pay  t/  you 
dnire.  Simp'e  inlerst  on  deferred  paymrnts. 
Fiona  and  ordinary  player  pianos  taliert  in 
exchange  at  fair  valuation^ 


^'■THE    INNER    BEAUfr" 
Send  for  Free  Copy 

It  tells  how  the  new  Virtuolo  is  designed  to  call 
forth  your  own  expresiive  Instinct  and  rtspond 
to  it.  Tells  also  hou)  music  is  a  language  b]f 
tol'ich  the  composer  tells  i/tu  of  his  feelings, 
thought',  imaginations.  It  is  a  hook  ext<aordi- 
nary.  Richl])  illuslra'ed  with  the  word's  most 
famous  paintings,  inspired  hj  Music. 

If  you  send  for  a  cop])  today  you'll  be  glad 
l)<Ju  aidn'l  forget  to  send  for  it. 


1.75  inches.     Too  short  for  easy  reading 

Instead  of  trying  to  force  you  to  walk  a  figurative  ptight- 
rope  of  fixed  interpretation,  the  Virtuolo  aims  to  /eaj  you  to 
express  yourself  in  your  own  instinctive  way — to  let  your 
iiiitpict  for  expression  be  stirred  into  flame. 

Four  sensitive  buttons  to  touch — that  is  all! 

They  respond  to  your  musical  desires  like  nerves  in  yOur 
own  finger-tips  !  How  this  is  done  is  too  much  to  try  to  tell 
in  advertisements.  The  best  way  to  explain  it  is  to  let  your 
fingers  rest  dn  the  four  expression  buttons,  and  let  the 
Virtuolo,  itself,  tell  you  the  marvels  of  instinctive  playing. 
If  you  do  this  at  the  store  where  Virtuolos  are  sold,  you 
will  sell  the  Virtuolo  to  yourself. 

3.12  inches.     About  right  for  easy  reading 


SEND  FOR  "THE  INNER  BEAUTY"  BOOK 

It  explains  in  simple  language,  and  shows  in  beautiful  pictures,  how  Music  has  been  the  medium 
'through  which  great  souls  have  sent  down  to  us  their  feelings  of  jov,  inspiration,  pathos,  sternness, 
tragedy,  sympathy,  love,  told  in  music.  It  explains  how  these  musical  messages  may  be.  interprettd, 
felt  and  expressed  by  anyone  who  desires  —  no  matter  liow  unskilled  technically  in  Music  he  may  be. 

It  explains  how  the  invention  of 

77i^  VIRTUOLO 

THE  NEW  INSTINCTIVE  PLAYER  PIANO 

4._'5  inches.     Too  long  for  easy  reading 

relaxation,  relaxation  leads  to  a  receptive  attitude,  and  such 
an  attitude  gives  permanence  to  the  association  presented.  It 
also  gives  more  guarantee  that  the  copy  will  actually  be  read, 
for  in  general  we  not  only  can  but  do  read  legible  material. 
Among  the  chief  factors  in  typography  may  be  mentioned  the 


102  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

following  points,  drawn  chiefly  from  the  psychology  of  read- 
ing and  from  the  physiology  of  eye  movement  and  general 
optics : 

(a).  The  printed  line,  to  be  most  comfortably  legible,  should 
be  neither  too  long  nor  too  short.  In  general  a  line  from 
three  to  three  and  a  half  inches  long  is  the  most  favorable  for 
ordinary  printing.  The  favorable  length  depends  in  part  on 
the  size,  clearness,  and  other  features  of  the  type.     (See  page 

lOI.) 

(b)  Most  of  our  reading  is  done  by  the  perception  of  "  word 
form  "  rather  than  by  the  puttinj  together  of  the  separate 
letters  of  the  word.  The  general  shape  and  appearance  of 
the  word  enables  us  to  recognize  it  when  it  is  so  far  away 
that  the  separate  letters  cannot  be  seen  at  all.  For  this  rea- 
son lower  case  letters  are  much  more  legible  than  capital  let- 
ters. Capitals  do  not  permit  of  reading  by  word  form,  since 
all  words  made  of  capitals  have  the  same  rectangular  shape, 
differing  only  in  length.  But  when  the  lower  case  letters  are 
used  each  word  has  its  own   characteristic  appearance. 

(c)  Since  the  eye  must  readjust  itself  for  each  size  and 
variety  of  type,  frequent  change  of  style  or  size  is  inadvisable. 
A  good  advertisement  seldom  contains  more  than  four  or  five 
different  sizes  or  varieties  of  type. 

(d)  Reading  is  facilitated  if  the  eye  is  enabled  to  make  its 
movements  back  and  forth  along  the  printed  lines  in  a  purely 
mechanical  and  rhythmical  way.  Hence  the  lines  should  be  of 
uniform  length  and  beginning  and  end  should  be  in  uniform 
places.  Variation  in  the  length,  beginning  or  ending  of  lines 
makes  for  strain  and  discomfort.  Frequent  indentation  assists 
the  eye  in  making  these  movements  purely  mechanically  and 
hence  easily  and  comfortably.      (See  page  103.) 

(e)  Appropriate  spacing  of  letters,  words,  lines,  and  sections 
facilitates  the  process  of  reading.  The  spacing  should  indicate 
the  natural  unity  of  the  material.     Thus  letters  should  be  closer 


ESTABLISHING  ASSOCIATIONS 


103 


VIRTUOLO 

THE  INSTINCTIVE  PLAYER  PIANO 


h  nude  for  yon  to  eipfqi  jmr  fedjnp  on 
10  respond  to  tvttj  OMod  aai  &nc)r.    The 
•ecret  Ha  M  Ita  fbor  woodeHiil  cxprcsstoa 
buttoni.     By  prening  ooe,  you  un  bring  out 


pinimcni ;  by  preuing 
oihcn   yon  caa    nulu 

Krong as yOQ wbh.   And 


J4SO— ibeoewPrim 

*>/««/._oramncK 

^1050 — thenu^ificm 

Art  Style  HiUa  li  Dari 

Virtudo.    Ajsd  you  can  -  < 

havr  it  to  play  aiDd  enjoy  af!  tAr  lime  ydri 

Jtrviig  M  ftyjtr  it.      Call  at   the   Store  ot 

our  Tepreaentalire  in   your  locality — we'll 

seod  you  his  address — and  examine  opecially 


tlse  haisdkifav  new  Style  60  CoflwayViftuoiOb 
Study  its  handsome,  cbastcty  dcaijncd  nuhof 
any  case.  Look  at  its  stioD|,  durahlc  action. 
:,Mtoi>e.  Tbenbear'itsln- 
stinctiTePUyini!  Why, 
yoy  will  be  Mr««(t4£r^  that 
its  price  is  on)y|550, and 
that  monthly  payments 
as  low  as  tl  a  will  secure 

S^  us  the  attached 
Coupon  atul  we  will  see 
that  you  have  a  chance 
to  examine  this  new  in- 


together  than  words,  words 
than  Hnes,  and  hnes  than 
paragraphs.  In  general  the 
space  between  elements  that 
belong  together  should  be 
less  than  the  width  of  the 
elements  themselves,  for 
otherwise  the  elements  fall 
apart  and  do  not  seem  to 
belong  together. 

(f)  Care  should  be  used 
in  the  selection  of  the  style 
and  character  of  type  used. 
Some  styles  of  type  now  in 
use  are  at  least  twice  as 
legible  as  other  styles,  when 

size  is  kept  constant.     With  this  large  range  there  is  plenty 
of  room  for  selection  of  various  degrees  of  legibility. 

(g)  The  background  on  which  the  printing  occurs  is  also 
an  important  factor  in  determining  its  legibility.  In  general 
the  lighter  the  background  and  the  darker  the  type,  the  greater 
the  legibility.  A  maximum  lightness  difference  between  type 
and  background  favors  reading.  Black  on  white  is  more  legi- 
ble than  is  white  on  black  because  in  nature  backgrounds  tend 
to  be  light  and  objects  dark.  When  this  situation  is  reversed 
our  attention  is  directed  toward  the  background  rather  than 
toward  the  object  (printing)  and  the  reading  process  is  thus 
interfered  with. 


ftnimcDt.    Wc  wiU  iW 

>end  ]rou  facu  and  fifuret 

■bout  the   Virtuolo  inil 

lnitiocti«  Plijinj, 

tiun^  K(>/w<.,  X(jo      which  you  ifr^  if  you're 

thinkingofbuyingapUycrpuno— noworbter. 

And  the  best  way  to  be  ture  of  getting 

thia  infbrnutjoa  b  to  fill  out  ibe  coupoa 

DOW — before  you  by  atide  this  wccIUj^ 

HALLET  &  DAVIS  PIANO  CO. 

(iSTjISLJsmjf  Jt37) 
Botton         New  York         Newark         Toledo         Atlanta         Chkico         Sia  Fnncaco 

This  irregular  arrangement  of  the 
reading  matter  interferes  with  the 
rhythm  of  the  eye  movements,  and 
for  this  reason  it  should  be-  avoided. 


5.  Illustrations 

Other  definite  sources  of  feeling-tone  in  advertisements  are 
the  illustrations,  the  surroundings,  the  images  called  up  by 
the  illustration  or  the  reading  matter.  In  so  far  as  any  of 
these  items  have  attractive  or  repulsive  qualities,  their  feeling- 


104         PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

tone  characterizes  the  advertisement  as  a  whole,  and  helps  de- 
termine how  the  reader  will  react  to  the  appeal.  Thus  the 
presence  of  loathsome  features  in  adjacent  advertisements, 
the  character  of  the  paper  on  which  the  advertisement  is 
printed,  the  nature  of  the  medium  in  which  it  appears,  the 
character  of  the  man  who  wrote  it,  the  name  of  the  illustrator, 
are  all  important  items,  which,  however  minute  and  detailed, 
have  a  positive  influence  in  determining  the  wav  in  which  the 
appeal  is  to  be  received  and  the  effectiveness  of  the  suggested 
association.  To  say  that  the  psychological  subtleties  are  the 
only  important  items  would  be  nonsense.  Rut  that  they  have 
their  own  part  in  the  complex  process  is  verified  by  the  experi- 
ence of  intelligent  students  of  the  successful  and  unsuccessful 
advertising  campaigns  of  the  past. 


CHAPTER  IX 

MAKING  ASSOCIATIONS  DYNAMIC 

Laws  of  Suggestion 

In  general  the  better  the  foregoing  conditions  have  been  con- 
formed to  the  more  likely  will  the  associations  be  to  have 
dynamic  force  —  that  is  the  greater  will  be  the  tendency  to  act 
on  them.  Nevertheless  it  is  one  thing  to  establish  a  mere  asso- 
ciation and  quite  another  thing  actually  to  make  that  associa- 
tion count  in  a  man's  conduct.  Thus  I  may  repeat  the  words 
"precipice  —  jump"  until  the  sight  of  the  one  word  always 
calls  up  the  other,  and  still  I  may  obstinately  refuse  actually 
to  leap  ofT  the  precipice  when  I  come  to  stand  by  it.  But  if  the 
association  were  "  precipice  —  shout  "  I  would  probably  find 
the  suggestion  more  or  less  effective.  Here  it  is  clear  that  the 
first  association  is  not  dynamic  because  it  runs  counter  to  cer- 
tain other  strongly  intrenched  tendencies  and  impulses.  The 
second  is  more  dynamic  because  it  falls  in  line  with  a  general 
tendency  which  I  already  have. 

Much  the  same  thing  may  be  true  of  the  advertiser's  attempt 
to  associate  his  commodity  wnth  a  need.  Not  only  must  there 
be  an  association  in  my  thinking  but  there  must  also  be  de- 
veloped some  real  tendency  to  act  on  the  suggestion  the  associa- 
tion contains.  A  knowledge  and  observance  of  the  laws  of 
suggestion  is  no  less  important  than  knowledge  of  the  laws  of 
association  and  memory.  Some  of  these  laws,  especially  as 
they  apply  to  the  work  of  advertising,  are  given  here. 

For  Personal  Articles,  "  Human-Nature  "  Copy 

If  the  article  advertised  is  personal  and  intimate  in  character, 
if  it  comes  into  direct  contact  with  the  body,  or  if  it  is  con- 

105 


I06  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

sumed  for  its  own  sake,  the  appeal  should  be  directed  specific- 
ally to  some  special  instinct  or  feeling.  In  other  words,  "  hu- 
man-nature "  copy  rather  than  "  reason-why  "  copy  should 
be  used.  Comparison,  argument,  deliberation  should  not  be 
invited.  Examples  of  such  articles  are  breakfast  food,  can- 
dies, ornamental  clothing,  music,  etc.  (See  illustration,  page 
86.) 

For  Impersonal  Articles,  "  Reason- Why  "  Copy 

If  the  article  is  impersonal,  utilitarian,  and  thus  not  enjoyed 
in  itself  but  used  as  a  tool  or  instrument  in  the  satisfaction  of 
some  more  remote  need,  "  reason  why  "  copy  is  more  appro- 
priate. Logical  argument,  deliberate  comparison  with  rival 
commodities,  may  be  effectively  used  here.  Examples  of  such 
articles  would  be  wheelbarrows,  sewing  machines,  lead  pencils, 
brooms,  etc.     (See  illustrations,  pages  87  and  88.) 

Sometimes  Both  Kinds 

The  foregoing  laws  are  not  rigid  and  absolute,  and  it  is 
often  difficult  to  classify  commodities  on  the  basis  suggested. 
Moreover  both  types  of  persuasion  may  often  be  used  to  ad- 
vantage. Thus  if  one  has  in  mind  all  the  commodities  used 
in  the  preparation  and  consumption  of  a  banquet,  these  com- 
modities may  be  arranged  in  a  series  such  that  the  things  at  one 
end  tend  to  be  intimate  and  directly  consumed,  while  those  at 
the  other  are  distinctly  utilitarian.     Thus  — 

Desserts  Table 

Salads  Chairs 

Vegetables  Kettles 

Meats  Pans 

Drinks  Pots 

Napkins  Stove 

Cutlery  Fuel 
Dishes 


MAKING  ASSOCIATIONS  DYNAMIC 


107 


In  the  case  of  articles  at  or  near  the  upper  end  of  this  series 
the  direct  appeal  to  feeling,  emotion  and  instinct  (appetizing, 
clean,  pure,  healthful,  invigorating)  will  be  most  effective. 
At  the  lower  end  logical  exposition  of  selling  points  and  "  rea- 
.sons  why  "  will  be  more  effective  than  sentimental  appeal  to 
the  feelings.  In  the  middle  of  the  list  the  case  is  not  so  clear. 
One  can  say  only  that  the  farther  up  the  list  one  goes  the  more 
effectively  can  the  "human-nature"  appeal  be  utilized;  the 


Indirect  suggestion 


farther  down  the  list  one  goes  the  more  appropriate  will  be  the 
argumentative  appeal.  In  general  this  is  because  what  we  eat 
or  do  not  eat  is  determined  by  our  personal  tastes,  likes  and 
dislikes,  sentiments  and  feelings.  What  we  burn,  however, 
is  more  dependent  on  its  own  properties  —  its  cheapness,  dur- 
ability, availability,  convenience,  etc.  We  cook  in  order  to  eat 
and  because  there  is  no  simple  way  of  avoiding  it.  We  eat, 
in  part  in  order  to  live,  to  be  sure,  but  also  in  large  part  just 
because  of  the  immediate  pleasure  the  performance  yields  us. 


lo8  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

It  should,  of  course,  be  added  that  the  cost  of  the  commodity 
is  also  an  important  factor  in  determining  the  effective  sort 
of  appeal.  In  general  the  more  the  article  costs  us  the  less 
susceptible  we  are  to  purely  short  circuit  appeals  to  our  feel- 
ings and  instincts.  Thus  toilet  soap  can  be  sold  by  a  direct, 
appeal  to  the  feelings,  but  we  think,  compare  and  deliberate 
over  an  insurance  policy,  even  though  our  motive  for  securing 
it  be  purely  emotional.  But  even  here  the  thinking  usually 
consists  only  in  the  strenuous  attempt  to  assure  ourselves  that 
the  article  will  really  satisfy  our  emotional  need. 

Suggestion  in  Terms  of  Reader 

The  strength  of  a  suggestion  depends  in  part  on  the  degree 
to  which  it  appears  to  be  our  own  —  to  be  of  spontaneous,  in- 
ternal origin.  Mr.  Frohman,  the  theatrical  manager  and  pro- 
ducer, it  is  said,  is  particularly  successful  in  handling  obstin- 
ate employees.  It  is  said  further  that  he  is  accustomed,  on 
broaching  a  proposition  to  which  he  does  not  expect  the  other 
man  to  assent  readily,  to  remark,  "  It  seems  to  me  it  would 
be  well  to  do  as  you  suggested  the  other  day  and  .  .  ."  The 
method  is  peculiarly  effective  although  the  manipulated  man 
does  not  remember  ever  having  any  such  suggestion.  It  is 
enough  that  the  plan  seems  to  be  his  own  or  is  stated  by  another 
to  be  so.  So  in  advertising,  arrogance,  domination,  should  not 
be  attempted.  It  is  at  once  resented  and  resisted.  The  more 
indirect  the  suggestion,  the  more  it  can  be  made  to  be  an 
original  determination  or  plan  or  conclusion  on  the  part  of  the 
reader,  the  more  its  dynamic  power.  (See  illustration,  page 
T07.) 

Suggestion  Must  Accord  with  Regular  Habits  and  Instincts 

Within  the  limits  indicated  by  the  above  law.  the  dynamic 
power  of  a  suggestion  will  be  the  greater  the  more  forcefully 
and    vigorously    the   association    is    presented.     This    law    is 


MAKING  ASSOCIATIONS  DYNAMIC  109 

especially  true  when  the  suggestion  is  in  line  with  pre-estab- 
lished habits  and  tendencies.  When  the  suggestion  violates 
life-long  habits  and  instincts,  attempts  to  be  forceful  and  vigor- 
ous usually  lapse  into  arrogance  and  thereby  defeat  their  own 
purpose.  The  following  head-lines  on  the  one  hand  conform 
to,  and  on  the  other  hand  violate,  this  law : 

A  forceful  suggestion  — 

I  WANT  YOU  TO  CHOOSE  BETWEEN  THESE  TWO 

SHAPES 

A  weak  suggestion  — 

HERE  ARE  TWO  FAVORITES.  TAKE  YOUR 
CHOICE 

Positive,  Not  Negative 

It  is  more  effective  to  suggest  the  desired  response  directly 
than  it  is  to  argue  against  a  response  that  is  not  desired.  Thus 
it  is  more  effective  to  say  to  Bridget,  "  Put  the  potato  peelings 
in  the  garbage  pail,"  than  it  is  to  say,  "  Do  not  put  the  peelings 
in  the  sink."  The  positive  feature  of  the  association  is  always 
the  most  effective.  In  the  one  case  the  positive  association  is 
"  peelings  " — "  pail."  In  the  other  case  it  is  "  peelings  " — 
"  sink."  The  negative  suggestion  always  tends  to  defeat  its 
own  purpose.  The  attempt  to  dissuade  from  the  use  of  sub- 
stitutes is  the  classical  illustration  of  the  futile  negative  sug- 
gestion. 

The  customer  should  be  asked,  "  Does  the  shoe  feel  com- 
fortable? "  not  "  Does  the  shoe  pinch?  "  The  cadet  should  be 
told,  "  Stand  erect,  with  feet  together,"  not  "  Don't  slouch." 
Passengers  should  be  told  "  Get  off  this  way,"  rather  than 
shown  how  not  to  get  off.  The  convert  should  be  told,  "  Seek 
to  do  good,  "  rather  than,  "  Do  not  yield  to  temptation."  The 
reader  of  advertisements  should  see  the  words,  "  Drink  Pos- 
tum,"  rather  than  the  words,  "  Do  not  drink  coffee." 


no 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


Prestige  of  the  Source 

The  dynamic  force  of  a  suggestion  varies  directly  with  the 
prestige  of  its  source.     The  more  we  revere  a  speaker  for  one 

reason  or  another,  the 
more  easily  he  can  dictate 
to  us  on  any  topic  whatso- 
ever and  the  more  prone 
we  are  to  accept  his  sug- 
gestions even  when  they 
are  unsupported  by  suffi- 
cient reason.  The  mere 
weight  of  authority,  the 
reputation  for  straight 
dealing,  the  past  success  of 
the  firm,  etc.,  are  often 
seen  to  be  as  effective  as 
are  reasons  why.  Among 
the  forms  of  prestige  which 
may  be  utilized  in  adver- 
tising the  following  are  im- 
portant : 

I.  Prestige  of  Space. 
Secured  by  lavish  display 
and  extravagant  use  of 
white  space  or  magnitude 
of  copy.  This  principle  ac- 
tuated the  Bank  of  England 
when,  as  it  is  reported, 
they  regularly  gave  their 
clerks  lunches  of  lobster  and  champagne,  which  were  eaten  in 
the  street  window,  in  full  view  of  the  passerby.  Building  the 
largest  ship,  the  largest  building  in  the  world,  is  a  form  of  this 
prestige  whenever  it  is  used  for  purposes  of  publicity. 

2.  Prestige  of  Past  Success.     The  length  of  time  the  firm 


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Prestige  of  past  success 


MAKING  ASSOCIATIONS  DYNAMIC 


III 


has  been  established,  the  amount  of  capital  invested,  the  in- 
crease in  this,  the  amount  of  goods  handled  during  successive 
years,  the  rate  of  growth  of  the  business,  and  similar  points, 
when  utilized  in  advertising,  rely  on  this  law  of  prestige. 


Endorsed  by  the 
U.S.Government 


Note 
this- 


Tha  'Millionaire**  differs  con* 
•tmcttonallr  from  all  others-* 
requirins  only  one  turn  of  the 
cranic  for  each  figure  in  the 
multiplier  or  quotient.  With- 
out  exception,  all  other  calcu- 
lators necessitate  a  turn  for 
«acA  unit  of  mach  figurm. 


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"MILUONAIRE" 

CALCULATOR 


I  Government 


There  are  now  ovei 
these  machines  in  c 

various  United  St; __ 

Departments.  In  business  houses 
where  complex  and  extended  com- 
putations are  theT\]le,aiid  where  time 
saved  means  dollars  earned,  there  is 


a  tieed  for  this  machine.  Its  possi- 
bilities are  practically  unlimited  and 
its  great  resistance  to  wear  and  tear 
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Prestige  of  patronage 

3.  Prestige  of  Patronage.  Recommendation  by  some  popu- 
lar hero  or  notable  person,  "  royal  w^arrant,"  patronage  by  the 
Army  and  Navy  service,  and  various  other  forms  of  the  pres- 
tige of  patronage  will  at  once  come  to  mind.  (See  illustra- 
tions, pages  III,  112.) 

4.  Bo'"rowed  Prestige.  Thus  by  using  the  name  "  Yale  " 
jack  knife,  or  "  Yale  "  motor-boat,  the  dependability  of  Yale 
locks  and  the  success  of  Yale's  football  team  are  utilized  to 
shed  luster  over  an  unrelated  article.  "  Made  in  Japan,"  "  Im- 
ported," and  similar  phrases  are  again  attempts  to  borrow 
prestige  not  directly  possessed  by  the  article  itself.  (See 
illustration,  page  113.) 


Connect  with  Other  Impulses 

The  dynamic  force  of  a  suggestion  is  in  part  dependent  on 
the  amount  of  internal  resistance  it  encounters.     The  attempt 


112 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


A  Few  of  the  Users 

Who  Have  Added 

More  Peerless 

U.  S.  Steel  Corporation 
Canadian  Government 
Standard  Oil  Company 
Corn  Products  Refining  Co. 
American  Smelting  &  Refin- 
ing Co. 
Marshall  Field  &  Co. 
Pennsylvania  R.  R. 
Montgomery,  Ward  &  Co. 
Aetna  Life  Insurance  Co. 
J.  G.  White  &  Co. 
Utah  Copper  Co. 
Northern  Trust  Co.,  Chicago 
The  Gorham  Company 
Western  Electric  Co. 
United  States  Government 
First    National    Bank,   New 
York 
^     H.  B.  Claflin 

\     P.  Lorillard  &  Co. 

PetrleM  N      Rock  Island  R.  R. 

Check       \       Lehigh  Valley  Coal 

Protcctint       %        /-„ 

Co.,  \    ^    • 

Rochftter,  N.  Y.     V     London  &  Lan- 

Grntlcmcn:—  V 

Kindly  tell   me  what        ^. 
the      Peerless       Check        X 
Writer  will  do  tor  us    in  V 

;iiii^.<wivintr  and  nrotectioD.         ^- 


cashire 
Co. 


Ins. 


to  displace  habits,  usages,  and 
practices  of  long  standing  is 
often  more  difficult  than  to 
develop  totally  new  needs 
and  tendencies.  That  sugges- 
tion will  be  most  effective 
which  can  call  to  its  aid  some 
other  impulse  which  is  already 
active.  Thus  a  coffee  drinker 
cannot  easily  be  persuaded  to 
give  up  his  beverage  completely 
nor  even  to  substitute  a  new 
drink  for  it.  But  he  can  be 
persuaded  with  little  difficulty 
to  try  the  substitute  at  break- 
fast only  and  it  is  better  to  try 
for  this  opening  than  to  under- 
take the  heavier  task  and  fail. 
Moreover  it  is  easier  to  per- 
suade him  to  use  a  new  bever- 
age than  it  is  to  induce  him  not 
to  use  any  warm  drink  at  all. 

In  "  honor  system  "  exam- 
inations one  can  more  easily 
get  people  to  falsify  by  pro- 
viding them  with  slips  on 
which  are  printed  the  words 
"  I  have  not  cheated  in  this  ex- 
amination "  than  by  compel- 
ling each  student  to  write  the 
words  in  his  own  hand.  In 
testimony,  a  witness  can  more 

easily  be  led  to  perjure  him- 
^     self  if  a  leading  question  is 


Prestige  of  patronage 


Cop7riRbt,  1899. 
bj  Notm&D.  BoitoD 


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113 


114  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

asked  to  which  he  is  to  reply  "  Yes  "  or  "  No  "  than  by  getting 
him  to  recount  in  detail  the  false  evidence.  In  selling,  de- 
livery can  more  easily  be  avoided  by  asking,  "  Will  you  take 
it  with  you?"  than  by  insisting  that  the  customer  make  the 
choice  himself.  It  is  easier  to  sell  an  article  satisfying  an 
old  and  well-established  need  than  it  is  to  create  new  needs 
—  to  utilize  an  old  habit  than  to  establish  a  new  one.  The 
coupon,  in  advertising,  is  best  when  it  is  most  easily  sent, 
when  the  sender  has  the  least  labor  to  go  through  with.  The 
return  post  card  is  more  likely  to  be  utilized  if  it  bears  the 
stamp  and  address. 

Unity  in  Variety 

"  Constant  dripping  wears  away  a  stone,"  but  only  if  the 
stone  be  really  struck,  and  a  different  particle  dislodged  at 
each  blow.  A  nail  in  my  shoe  soon  ceases  to  annoy  me  if  it 
prods  me  only  gently  and  always  at  the  same  point.  The  rim 
of  my  spectacles  soon  ceases  to  be  seen  or  felt  so  long  as  it 
keeps  its  accustomed  position.  But  a  nail  prodding  me  now 
here,  now  there,  a  series  of  advertisements  appealing  now  to 
this  instinct,  now  to  that,  but  always  in  the  interest  of  the 
same  commodity,  jogs  me  into  an  alert  appreciation  of  its 
presence.  A  single  appeal  would  never  have  done  it  nor  would 
the  same  unvaried  appeal,  if  repeatedly  presented.  Unity  in 
variety,  then,  a  constant  dripping  but  always  a  new  drop,  is  a 
law  of  effective  suggestion  in  advertising.  ''  Buy  it  by  the 
box,"  "  The  flavor  lasts,"  "  Look  for  the  Spear,"  "  Costs  little 
by  the  package,  less  by  the  box,"  keep  Spearmint  persistently 
in  the  margin  of  my  thought.  "  Buy  it  by  the  box."  "  Buy  it 
by  the  box,"  "  Buy  it  by  the  box."  would  soon  cease  to  affect 
me.  Mere  mechanical  repetition  does  not  give  associations 
dynamic  strength,  but  repetition  accompanied  by  sufficient  va- 
riety to  lend  interest  and  sufficient  uniformity  to  have  a  con- 
stant meaning,  is  always  worth  what  it  costs. 


CHAPTER  X 

SECURING  VIVIDNESS  OF  IMPRESSION 

Attention  and  Memory  Devices 

No  matter  how  carefully  an  association  of  need  and  com- 
modity is  formulated,  no  matter  how  appropriately  the  dyna- 
mic laws  have  been  observed  —  an  advertisement  counts  for 
nothing  if  it  is  not  really  noticed  and  read.  Moreover  it 
counts  for  but  little  if  it  is  merely  read,  and  the  association 
straightway  forgotten.  Hence  the  study  of  attention  and 
memory  is  important  in  advertising.  A  full  discussion  of  these 
two  aspects  of  copy,  and  the  complete  exposition  and  illustra- 
tion of  the  successful  attention  and  memory  devices,  cannot  be 
given  here.  All  that  can  be  given  is  a  suggestive  list  of  these 
various  devices,  with  sufficient  explanation  to  indicate  their 
general  character  and  meaning.  The  following  factors  are 
important  attention  devices  in  all  varieties  of  advertising, 
whether  outdoor  publicity,  window  display,  magazine  and 
newspaper  space,  posters,  signs,  etc. 

Size 

The  larger  the  space  used,  the  greater  the  attention  value, 
other  things  remaining  equal.  But  the  increase  in  value  is 
not  proportionate  to  the  increase  in  cost.  A  law  of  diminish- 
ing returns  holds,  whereby  the  attention  value  increases  more 
slowly  than  the  amount  of  space  employed  —  approximately 
as  the  square  root  of  that  amount.  It  has  been  conclusively 
demonstrated  that  the  square  root  law  holds,  whether  inquiries, 
orders,  cost  per  sale,  or  experimental  attention  value  be  con- 
ns 


Il6         PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

sidered.     Thus,  the  content  of  the  space  remained  unchanged 
in  general  character  — 

If   1/16  page  space  brings  in  25  inquiries, 

Then  1/4  page,  though  four  times  the  size  brings  in  only 

tzvicc  the  number  of  inquiries,  or  50. 
And  I   full  page,  though  16  times  as  large,  brings  only 

four  times  the  number  of  inquiries,  or  100. 

As  a  result  of  this  law  it  follows  that  the  most  favorable 
amount  of  space  for  a  given  proposition  depends  in  part  on 
the  amount  of  profit  made  per  sale,  per  inquiry,  etc.  In  gen- 
eral, the  smaller  the  profit  the  smaller  the  most  favorable 
amount  of  space.  This  is  especially  true  if  one  is  interested 
mainly  in  immediate  net  profit,  regardless  of  the  amount  of 
money  invested  at  the  moment. 

Position  in  the  Medium 

Questions  of  preferred  position  on  the  page  and  in  the 
medium  apply  especially  to  magazine  and  newspaper  adver- 
tising. This  does  not  mean  that  there  are  not  preferred  po- 
sitions in  outdoor  advertising,  for  example.  It  is  obvious  that 
there  are  such  positions,  but  their  character  cannot  be  easily 
described  except  in  the  most  general  terms.  In  the  case  of 
magazines  the  following  general  principles  have  been  verified 
time  and  again. 

In  standard  magazines  the  front  advertising  section  has 
about  25  per  cent  stronger  attention  value  than  the  l^ack  sec- 
tion. This  is  partly  because  there  are  usually  fewer  pages 
in  the  front  section.  The  preferred  pages  are  the  covers, 
outside  and  inside,  and  the  pages  next  to  reading  matter  and 
index.  In  magazines  of  about  100  pages  or  thereabouts  of 
advertising  there  is  a  decrease  in  value  inward  from  the 
covers  and  from  the  reading  matter  section,  for  about  10 
pages. 


SECURING  VIVIDNESS  OF  IMPRESSION  I17 

These  statements,  it  should  be  noted,  apply  only  to  period- 
icals of  the  standard  form,  in  which  the  advertisements  and 
reading  matter  are  segregated,  the  advertisements  being  placed 
in  sections  in  front  and  after  the  reading  matter. 

In  the  case  of  flat  publications  (such  as  the  Saturday  Eve- 
ning Post)  with  advertisements  distributed  through  the  read- 
ing matter,  tests  on  actual  readers  give  results  which  differ 
from  those  secured  in  the  case  of  standard  publications.  Pre- 
ferred positions  tend  to  be  fewer,  the  superior  pages  being  as 
before  outside  and  inside  the  covers,  but  all  the  inside  pages 
have  the  same  average  value.  Distributing  the  advertisements 
through  the  reading  matter  thus  equalizes  the  attention  value 
of  the  different  pages.  It  has  not  yet  been  shown  that  this 
procedure  either  raises  or  lowers  the  average  value  of  a  page. 
The  results  show,  however,  that  the  added  attention  value  in 
the  case  of  the  poorer  pages  comes  only  when  the  advertise- 
ment is  placed  next  to  reading  matter  which  is  actually 
read. 

Position  on  the  Page 

The  following  diagrams  summarize  the  results  of  studies  of 
preferred  positions  on  standard  magazine  pages.  The  dia- 
grams show  the  way  in  which  100  per  cent  attention  value  is 
distributed  among  the  various  sections,  thus  indicating  their 
relative  values.  The  figures  show  the  values  in  the  case  of 
the  right-hand  page  only.  For  the  left-hand  page  the  values 
in  the  case  of  the  vertical  divisions  should  change  sides.  In 
addition  it  is  well  to  remember  that  vertical  half  pages  are 
about  25  per  cent  more  effective  than  are  horizontal  half 
pages. 

Perhaps  the  most  important  facts  are  that  the  top  half  of 
the  page  is  better  than  the  bottom  half,  the  outside  better  than 
the  inside,  and  the  vertical  division  better  than  the  horizontal 
division.     In  the  case  of  flat  publications  in  which  the  page 


Il8  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


19% 


50% 


23% 


VVn 


28% 

?>2>7o 

16% 

23% 

44% 

56% 

Preferred  positions  on  the  page 

contains  four  columns,  it  is  sometimes  customary  to  run  a 
single  column  of  reading  matter  in  the  second  column  from  the 
inside.  This  practice  shifts  attention  somewhat  from  the 
outside  of  the  page  toward  the  inside  column,  but  even  in 
this  case  tests  show  the  outside  columns  to  have  something 
like  12  per  cent  greater  attention  value  than  the  innermost 
column. 


Monopoly  and  White  Space 

Added  attention  value  and  vividness  may  often  be  secured 
by  leaving  part  of  the  space  unoccupied,  thus  forming  a  white 
margin  around  the  copy.     The  white  space  serves  to  attract 


SECURING  VIVIDNESS  OF  IMPRESSION 


119 


SAUSAGE  ■".v-n.T; 


i  Money  Saved  TJ'i^.£S 


Bargains  in 
Band  Instruments 


Failure  to  use  10  per  cent  white  space. 
Loss  of  attention  value 


attention  to  the  general 
direction,  by  its  contrast 
with  other  parts  of  the 
page.  Further,  this  device 
tends  to  eliminate  compe- 
tition by  rival  advertise- 
ments on  the  same  page. 
Experiment  shows  that  it  is 
as  easy  to  use  white  space 
extravagantly  as  it  is  to 
fail  to  use  it  in  sufficient 

amount.  On  the  whole,  white  margin  that  is  one-tenth  as 
wide  as  the  space  occupied  by  the  copy  itself  is  the  most  favor- 
able, economical  arrange- 
ment. With  dull  newspaper 
stock  somewhat  more  white 
space  is  required.  Illustra- 
tion on  this  page  shows  the 
efifect  of  inadequate  white 
space.  Illustration  on  this 
page  (lower  cut)  represents 
its  extravagant  use.  Illus- 
tration on  this  page  is  a 
sample  of  the  most  effective 
use  of  monopoly  and  white 
space. 

Centering  a  vertical  shape 
on  the  full  page  does  not 
produce  so  great  an  increase 
as  comes  from  centering  a 
horizontal  shape  of  the  same 
area  on  the  same  full  page. 
That  is  to  say,  the  use  of 
white  space  for  the  purpose 


THERE  is  some  fashion 
for  every  man,  but 
all  fashions  arc  not  for  all 
men.  The  best-drcsscd 
man  is  he  who  knows  his 
limitations,  and  discreetly 
keeps  within  them, 
tcmpwring  each  style  to 
his  type  and  at/apfing, 
rather  than  adopting. 

However,  thtre  are  wroe  boof 
Itylri.  which  might  he  tenned 
"6r«ad-aiid-buncr"  itylcs,  be- 
Ciuie  Cher  fumil  Kn  all^yf 
rv;ry-<iay  reed  »nd  are  Correct 
for  ijl  but  occasionsof  ceremony. 
TTic  "Avenue"  it  one  of  theie. 
It  I*  rr^de  of  Kins  Rntset  Calf 
intd^rp-brownVui  Dv'kciint— 
irw/iu-.  not  ytllew.  Long,  slop- 
in(t  toe;  fiat  English  forepanj 
jquarc  hccI ;  pUikcd  tip  and  per- 
forated vampi  iCi\t  has  a  mite  of 
an  oulswLng;  invisible  eyelctj  to 
top.    Price  15. 

Qutte  the  "imirteit"  walking 
and  wCek-cnd  boot  foi  J'oung 
men  and  for  men  in  whom 
(hp  muiterini  ytux  rannot 

fuench  the  youthful  ipirlL 
adge  for  yourself  at  any  Regal 

B*<iu,ivi  CMttcm  Stflit 

$4/17  $5 

Regal  Shoe  Company 


iE:ii 


Extravagant  use  of  white  space 


120 


PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 


PACKARD 


2-38 


of  isolation  and  monopoly  is  more  effective  in  the  case  of 
horizontal  shapes  than  in  the  case  of  vertical  shapes.  Thus, 
when  the  vertical  half  page  is  set  off  by  a  half  page  of  white 
space  the  increase  in  attention  value  is  66  per  cent.  But  when 
the  horizontal  half  page  is  set  off  in  the  same  way  the  increase 
is  about  90  per  cent. 

This  is,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  only  a  single  instance  of  a 
much  more  general  law.  Tests  show  clearly  that  the  use  of 
white  space  for  purposes  of  monopoly  is  more  effective  when 
the  original  attention  value  of  the  advertisement  is  poor  than 
when  the  original  attention  value  is  good.     By  the  use  of 

white  space,  indeed,  the  at- 
tention value  of  poor  copy 
may  be  made  practically 
equal  to  that  of  good  copy. 
Or  to  state  the  same  thing 
somewhat  more  encourag- 
ingly, good  copy  does  not 
need  the  mechanical  use  of 
white  space  to  give  it  atten- 
tion value,  whereas  for 
poor  copy  to  acquire  the 
same  attention  value  as 
that  possessed  by  the  good 
copy,  it  must  occupy  twice 
the  amount  of  space,  and 
consequently  its  cost  is 
approximately  twice  as 
much. 


Thfe  electric  cranker  of  the  Packard 
"2-38"  spins  the  motor  so  that  it  starts  on 
magneto.  Operated  by  heel  button.  Like 
every  other  Packard  feature,  this  electric 
cranker  represents  the  utmost  in  depend- 
ability. 

A  full  complement  of  lights  is  proidded  for 
by  the  electric  system. 
The  cranking  motor  and  Hxe  generator  are 
separate  units,  each  designed  to  meet  Pack- 
ard requirements.  A  third  imit,  the  dup- 
lex magneto,  supplies  current  for  ignition. 
The  Packard  three-unit  system  avoids  com- 
plex and  intricate  wiring.  It  measures  up 
to  the  Packard  standard  of  maximum  service. 

PACCABD  MAXIMUM  SEWICE  QUALmES 
AKE  EMBODIED  ALSO  IN  PACKARP  TKUCKS 

Packard  Motor  Car  Company  of  New  York 

1(61   Bro«d««; 
BrocUTs— FWlmh  ud  El()uh  Atcduo 

miVAXK       B<UIIFORD      «niD«CFI£tO       LONG  ISUNOUTY 


cAsk  the  man  ivho  owns  one 


% 


Economical  use  of  marginal  white  space 


Other  Mechanical  Devices 

Intensity  (strong  colors,  bright  lights,  etc.),  Motion  (mov- 
ing shelves,  rotating  signs,  etc.)  and  Contrast  (as  a  reversed 
cut  or  white  letters  on  black  background,  etc.)   may  also  be 


SECURING  VIVIDNESS  OF  IMPRESSION  121 

used  in  various  ways  for  the  purpose  of  creating  a  vivid  im- 
pression. But  these  devices  are  purely  mechanical  in  character 
and  effect  and  do  not  hold  the  attention  they  may  have  once 
secured.  Moreover  the  square-root  law,  the  law  of  diminish- 
ing returns,  holds  for  them  all;  hence  the  increase  in  value, 
from  their  use,  does  not  equal  the  increase  in  cost. 

Repetition.  Should  a  given  amount  of  space  be  presented 
all  at  once,  or  should  it  be  broken  up  into  smaller  spaces  which 
are  presented  successively  —  as  on  different  pages  of  the  same 
issue,  or  in  different  media,  or  in  different  days,  months,  etc.  ? 
Experiment  and  practice  both  agree  that  if  different  groups 
of  readers  are  reached  by  the  different  appeals,  the  smaller 
spaces,  in  different  media,  are  superior.  But  this  of  course 
does  not  involve  the  factor  of  repetition.  Experiment  shows 
that  when  immediate  replies  are  desired  small  spaces  repeated 
are  better  than  the  same  amount  of  space  presented  once,  in 
the  form  of  a  splurge.  But  when  permanence  of  impression 
and  general  educational  effect  is  desired,  rather  than  immedi- 
ate action,  it  is  better  to  splurge  and  present  the  whole  space 
at  one  time. 

When  repetition  is  practised,  the  intervals  between  successive 
appeals  should  not  all  be  equal.  The  earlier  appeals  should 
follow  rather  quickly  upon  each  other,  the  interval  being  gradu- 
ally lengthened  as  later  appeals  are  presented. 


CHAPTER  XI 

SECURING  PERMANENCE  OF  IMPRESSION 

Devices  to  Retain  Interest 

The  permanence  and  ultimate  value  of  an  impression  de- 
pend in  great  measure  on  the  length  of  time  the  attention  is 
held.  Hence  the  following  devices  are  more  effective  than 
those  that  have  just  been  discussed.  They  are  intrinsically 
interesting  and  not  only  attract  but  also  hold  attention. 

Novelty 

Novelty  of  various  sorts,  either  in  the  article  or  in  the  use 
to  which  it  may  be  put,  or  in  the  copy,  illustration,  arrange- 
ment, etc.,  is  a  device  which  appeals  to  the  general  curiosity  we 
have  concerning  any  new  thing.  Curiosity  is  a  universal  in- 
stinctive tendency,  hence  the  novelty  appeal  has  a  wide  range 
of  usefulness.  The  greatest  danger  in  connection  with  it  is 
in  the  ease  with  which  attention  is  attracted  to  the  device  as 
such,  rather  than  to  the  commodity,  argument,  or  selling  point. 

Pictures  and  Illustrations 

Pictures  and  illustrations  of  all  kinds,  especially  those  of 
animate  objects  in  the  process  of  doing  something  constitute 
effective  devices  for  attracting  attention  and  holding  interest. 
Illustrations  are  more  or  less  effective  in  advertising  according 
to  their  relevance  or  irrelevance  to  the  general  meaning  of  the 
appeal,  the  character  of  the  commodity,  etc. 

Care  must  be  taken  that  in  representing  action  pictorially, 
real  activity  is  portrayed,  rather  than  pose  and  inaction.     Of 


SECURING  PERMANENCE  OF  IMPRESSION  I23 

especial  importance  in  this  connection  is  the  "  Law  of  the  Rest- 
ing Point."  According  to  this  law,  to  represent  vigorous 
activity  on  the  part  of  a  moving  object,  as  an  arm  or  leg,  the 
object  should  be  represented  at  an  actual  point  of  rest,  just 
before  or  just  after  the  real  movement.  To  represent  it  at  a 
point  of  actual  movement  suggests  only  arrest  and  inaction. 

Whether  the  initial  or  the  terminal  point  of  the  movement 
should  be  represented  depends  on  the  nature  of  the  movement. 
If  it  is  a  familiar  and  standardized  movement,  such  as  the 
swing  of  a  golf  stick,  the  initial  point  serves  better.  If  the 
precise  character  and  direction  of  the  movement  is  not  so 
easily  recognizable,  as  for  example,  the  act  of  refusing  a  sub- 
stitute for  some  standard  brand,  then  the  terminal  point  is 
better. 

Color 

This  is  one  of  the  most  useful  and  effective  devices.  Color 
may  be  used  in  advertising  for  a  great  variety  of  purposes. 
Among  these  may  be  mentioned : 

1 .  As  mere  mass  or  background  for  other  material. 

2.  As  symbolic  and  expressive  of  qualities  of  the  article. 

3.  As  means  of  securing  or  promoting  harmony,  atmos- 

phere, etc. 

4.  For  more  accurately  representing  the  character,  texture, 

etc.,  of  the  advertised  article. 

5.  As  an  aid  in  identifying  packages,  brands,  etc. 

6.  For  giving  the  effects  of  distance  and  perspective  to  col- 

ored electric  signs  and  other  outdoor  devices. 

The  laws  of  color  preferences,  the  physical  and  physiological 
effects  of  the  various  colors,  their  symbolic  meaning,  the 
principles  of  color  harmony,  balance  and  combination,  should 
all  be  thoroughly  known  to  the  maker  of  advertisements,  on 
strictly  psychological  grounds. 


u 

H 


^ 

K 


o 


-i 
'^ 


O 


^ 


S 


124 


SECURING  PERMANENCE  OF  IMPRESSION  125 

The  Comic 

Comic  situations,  whether  presented  pictorially  or  verbally, 
have  high  attention  value.  The  comic  elements  are  likely, 
however,  to  be  irrelevant  and  incidental;  hence  the  use  of  the 
comic  in  business  appeals  is  precarious.  When  the  comic  is 
used  in  advertisements  that  are  to  be  repeatedly  seen  by  the 
same  reader,  the  copy-writer  should  carefully  avoid  the  "  sub- 
jective "  comic,  which  rapidly  deteriorates  in  interest  when 
repeated.  All  puns,  plays  on  words,  belong  to  this  class  — 
all  jokes  in  which  the  reader  himself  is  tricked  or  played  upon. 

Arrangement 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  devices  for  holding  attention 
and  fixing  an  impression,  the  matter  of  form  and  arrange- 
ment is  also  important.  Borders,  lines,  perspective,  direction, 
balance,  unity,  and  similar  structural  factors  hold  attention, 
if  properly  prepared,  and  to  the  degree  to  which  they  satisfy 
the  eye  and  offer  it  a  pleasing  field  of  exploration.  The  ma- 
terial offered  should  be  complex  enough  to  invite  several 
fixations  of  attention,  yet  simple  and  unified  enough  to  con- 
stitute a  single  field  of  interest. 

In  this  connection  it  should  be  noted  that  five  or  six  discrete 
elements  are  as  large  a  number  as  can  easily  be  brought  within 
a  single  act  of  apprehension.  Five  or  six  words  constitute 
the  limit  for  a  successful  headline;  five  or  six  phrase  units, 
the  limit  for  a  comfortable  sentence.  In  general,  five  or  six 
elements  of  whatsoever  sort  are  about  all  that  can  be  grouped 
into  a  larger  unit.  Of  course  the  nature  and  size  of  the  ele- 
ment is  determined  in  part  by  the  familiarity  of  the  material. 

This  law  of  "  attention  span  "  applies  not  only  to  headlines 
and  sentences,  but  to  paragraphs,  styles  of  type,  arguments, 
items  in  a  trade-mark,  etc.  It  is  the  same  law  that  limits  the 
drama  to  five  acts,  the  effective  conversational  scene  to  five 
characters,  the  letters  of  the  blind  alphabet  to  five  points.  This 
law  determines  various  structural  facts  in  poetry  and  music. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  PSYCHOLOGY  OF  TRADE-MARKS  AND 
TRADE-NAMES 

The  Functions  of  Trade-Marks 

The  function  of  trade-marks  and  trade-names  provides  the 
most  striking  instances  of  the  importance  of  making  a  vivid 
and  permanent  impression.  The  mark  or  name  faciHtates  the 
memory  of  the  article,  aids  in  its  recollection  at  the  moment 
of  need,  and  assists  in  its  identification  at  the  time  of  pur- 
chase. Recollection  and  recognition  may  be  said  to  constitute 
the  primary  functions  of  trade-marks  and  trade-names.  It 
follows  that  the  more  easily  and  correctly  the  mark  or  name 
is  recalled  and  the  more  quickly  and  certainly  it  is  recognized, 
the  higher  will  be  its  value.  In  the  main,  trade-marks  have 
come  to  be  made  up  of  one  or  more  of  the  following  materials : 

1.  Pictures  (Old  Dutch  Cleanser,  Scott's  Emulsion,  Gold 

Dust,  etc.). 

2.  Words  (Keen-Kutter,  Uneeda,  Sapolio,  etc.). 

3.  Geometrical  Forms  (star,  triangle,  cross,  circle,  crown, 

etc.). 

4.  Syllables  or  disconnected  groups  of  letters  (B,  V.  D., 

A.  B.C.,  etc.). 

Relative  Values 

The  common  assumption  seems  to  have  been  that  all  trade- 
marks are  equally  good,  or  at  least  that  no  general  principles 
hold  concerning  their  relative  values.     But  experiment  shows 

126 


TRADE-MARKS  AND  TRADE-NAMES        127 

that  pictures,  words,  forms  and  syllables  differ  markedly  in  at- 
tention and  memory  value.  The  following  table,  secured  by 
Mulhall,  indicates  how  large  these  differences  are.  The  figures 
give  the  number  of  repetitions  required  correctly  to  recall  and 
recognize  series  of  20  items  of  the  four  different  kinds  of 
material.  Each  figure  is  the  average  of  the  results  of  25  people 
tested : 

Number  of  repetitions  required : 

For  Correct      For  Correct 
Material  Recognition  Recall 

Pictures    1 .04  3.36 

Forms     1 .80  3.96 

Words    2.64  4.76 

Syllables    5.80  7.12 

Recognition  is  here  seen  to  be  about  twice  as  easy  as  recall, 
requiring  only  about  half  as  many  repetitions  of  the  material, 
with  all  four  kinds  of  material.  The  four  kinds  of  material 
differ  greatly  among  themselves.  Pictures  require  fewest 
repetitions  and  hence  have  highest  memory  value,  both  for 
recall  and  for  recognition.  Next,  in  order  of  difficulty,  come 
Forms,  then  Words,  and,  most  difficult  of  all.  Syllables. 

These  facts  should  be  borne  in  mind  when  selecting  trade- 
marks, for  the  differences  are  very  large  and  likely  to  be  im- 
portant in  practical  ways.  Syllables  are  nearly  six  times  as 
difficult  to  recognize  as  are  Pictures,  and  over  twice  as  hard 
to  recall.  Words  are  nearly  three  times  as  hard  to  recognize, 
and  half  again  as  hard  to  recall,  as  Pictures.  The  difference 
between  Pictures  and  Forms  is  not  so  large,  but  still  great 
enough  to  be  measured.  It  is  important  to  note  that,  what- 
ever function  of  the  trade-mark  be  considered,  whether  its  use 
for  purposes  of  mere  identification  (recognition)  or  for  pur- 
poses of  description  and  inquiry  (recall),  the  four  materials 
bear  the  same  relation  to  each  other. 


128  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Trade-Names  —  Variety  and  History 

The  best  discussion  of  trade-names  known  to  the  writer  of 
this  chapter  is  to  be  found  in  an  article  by  Prof.  Louise  Pound, 
in  Dialect  Notes,  January,  1914.  Among  other  interesting 
things,  Miss  Pound  says,  "  All  the  world  seems  to  feel  at 
liberty  at  the  present  time  to  coin  words  for  use  as  trade- 
names, generally  without  regard  for  orthodox  methods  of  word 
creation,  or  for  the  general  linguistic  acceptability  of  the* term 
thus  brought  into  being.  .  .  .  The  general  desire  of  the  pro- 
jectors of  trade-names  is  to  hit  upon  something  that  will  im- 
press itself  on  the  memory  of  prospective  buyers  of  goods. 
.  .  .  Beyond  dispute,  an  apt  or  striking  name  for  a  newly 
invented  article  will  go  far  to  promote  sales.  ...  A  glance 
through  the  older  files  of  magazines,  those  store-houses  par 
excellence  of  advertisements  in  their  variety  and  evanescence, 
makes  clear  the  fact  that  for  range  and  ingenuity  of  linguistic 
devices  and  utter  freedom  in  the  manipulation  or  distortion  of 
word  or  phrase,  the  present  period  is  peculiar  to  itself." 

Especially  interesting  is  Miss  Pound's  classification  of  the 
various  types  of  trade-names  and  the  various  methods  of  con- 
structing them.  She  enumerates  ten  general  groups,  each  dis- 
tinguished from  the  others  by  the  particular  principle  on  which 
the  name  is  built.  In  the  list  of  these  groups  that  follows 
only  two  or  three  well-known  examples  are  given  for  each,  by 
way  of  illustration: 

1.  Trade-names    arising    from   proper   names   and    place 

names.  This  type  is  relatively  infrequent  at  present. 
Examples  are  Listerine,  Tabasco,  Sherry,  Madeira, 
Burgundy,  Davenport,  Camembert. 

2.  Shortenings  and  extensions  are  very  common  —  Porto, 

Indestructo,  Eterno,  Hydrox,  Calox,  Shinola,  Pianola, 
Stone-Tex,  etc.,  may  serve  as  examples  of  this  class. 

3.  Diminutives  seem  now  to  be  very  much  in  favor  —  as 


TRADE-MARKS  AND  TRADE-NAMES  129 

Chiclet,  Wheatlet,  Leatherette,  Crispette,  Toasterette, 
Catarrlets,  etc. 

4.  Compounds.     New  combinations  of   familiar  elements 

—  as  Palm-Olive,  Waxit,  Underfeed,  Shawknit, 
Holeproof,  Walkover,  Spearmint,  Fit- form,  Meadow- 
gold,  etc. 

5.  Simplified,     fancy     or     disguised     spellings  —  Fits-U, 

Shure-On,  E.  Z.  Seal,  Noxall,  Dalite,  Phiteezi,  Veri- 
best,  Holsum,  Uneeda,  Keen-Kutter,  etc. 

6.  Striking    hyphenations     (shortenings,    hybrid     forms, 

blends) —  Fab-Rik-O-Na,  Jap-a-Lac,  Chi-Namel,  Ka- 
Tar-No,  Pro-phy-lac-tic,  Hyp-Tex,  Malt-Nutrine, 
Lin-Co-Lac,  Vel-Ve-Ta,  Pneu-Vac,  etc. 

7.  Blends  of  two  names  are  recent  favorites  —  Electrolier, 

Cuticura,  Colax,  Polmet,  Sani-Genic,  Jap-a-Lac, 
Crudol,  etc. 

8.  Blends  built  from  proper  names,  firms'  names,  etc. — 

Nabisco,  Aplco,  Balopticon,  Clupeco,  Iseeco,  Wisco, 
Adlake,  etc. 

9.  Names  built  from  initials  —  Reo,  Sebco,  Pebeco,  Ree- 

co,  etc. 
10.  Arbitrary  new  formations  —  Gas,  Kodak,  Tiz,  Kryptok, 
Karsi,   Clysmic,  Zu-Zu,  Calox,   Vivil,   Crisco,   Crex, 
etc. 

Miss  Pound  gives  an  interesting  list  of  eighteenth  century 
trade-names,  and  remarks,  "  There  is  approximately  the  same 
difference  in  the  taste  of  the  centuries  for  commercial  terms 
that  exist  between  the  prose  manners  of  writers  like  O.  Henry 
and  his  followers  and  that  of  the  authors  of  the  '  De  Coverley 
Papers.'  "  The  following  samples  of  eighteenth  century  trade- 
names strikingly  illustrate  this  contrast : 

"  The  Famous  Italian  Water  for  Dyeing  Red  and  Gray 
Hairs." 


I30  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

"  The  Famous  Spanish  Blacking  for  Gentlemen's  Shoes." 
"  Doctor   Coleburt's   most    famous   Elixir,   and   Salt   of 

Lemons." 
"  Incomparable  Perfuming  Drops  for  Handkerchiefs." 
"  The  Delightful  Chymical  Liquor  for  the  Breath,  Teeth 

and  Gums." 

Qualifications  of  a  Good  Trade-Name 

In  recent  years  the  growth  of  competition  and  the  multipli- 
cation of  brands  has  brought  about  many  changes  in  trade 
symbol  procedure,  as  well  as  in  the  laws  governing  the  use 
of  these  devices.  The  natural  tendency  on  the  part  of  the 
purchaser  to  call  for  his  favorite  brand  by  its  trade-name  has 
made  it  necessary  that  trade-names  be  not  only  ornamental 
and  printable,  which  seem  to  have  been  the  only  eighteenth 
century  criteria,  but  also  short,  easily  and  correctly  pro- 
nounced, unambiguous,  and  in  all  respects  of  such  a  character 
that  the  purchaser  may  use  them  expeditiously  and  without 
embarrassment  or  chagrin.  Thus,  "  Barrington-Hall  Baker- 
ized  Steel-Cut  Coffee  "  and  "  Mennen's  Borated  Talcum  Pow- 
der "  suffer  because  of  their  undue  length  and  consequent  awk- 
wardness. "  Hyomei,"  "  Telekathoras,"  and  "  Sieger's  An- 
gostura Bitters  "  will  probably  be  enunciated  correctly  if  spoken 
at  all,  but  their  inherent  clumsiness  disqualifies  them.  "  Bon 
Ami  "  and  "  Djer-Kiss  "  are  unambiguous  only  to  the  linguist, 
while  "  Pebeco."  "  Bevo,"  and  "  Sanatogen  "  contain  uncer- 
tainties which  readily  embarrass  the  new  consumer  with  whose 
patronage  the  dealer  and  manufacturer  cannot  afford  to  dis- 
pense. "  Kis-me,"  "  I-O-U,"  "  No-Smellee,"  and  "  Nu-fan- 
gel  "  would  prejudice  even  the  most  hardened  purchaser. 

Merchandising  Power 

The  merchandising  power  of  the  well-chosen  trade-name  or 
trade-mark  calls  for  still  further  criteria  of  selection.     If  the 


TRADE-MARKS  AND  TRADE-NAMES         131 

name  or  other  symbol  can  itself  suggest  the  qualities  of  the 
commodity,  it  thereby  acquires  enhanced  value.  Thus,  "  Old 
Dutch  Cleanser."  "  Rough  on  Rats,"  and  "  His  Master's 
Voice  "  serve  this  double  purpose  of  identification  and  invita- 
tion, defense  and  attack.  "  Beech  Nut,"  by  its  inherent  pleas- 
ing suggestiveness,  conveys  a  definite  atmosphere  of  desirabil- 
ity on  all  products  on  which  it  is  placed. 

The  name  that  is  distinctive  and  unique  has  obvious  ad- 
vantages, both  psychological  and  legal.  Thus,  such  names  as 
"  Superior,"  "  Excelsior,"  and  "  Premier  "  suffer  psycholog- 
ically because  they  are  neither  characteristically  relevant  to  any 
specific  product  nor  sufficiently  distinctive  to  be  discriminated 
in  the  purchaser's  memory.  The  use  of  familiar  proper  names 
such  as  "  Smith's,"  "  Brown's,"  "  Baker's,"  and  "  Campbell's," 
is  open  to  the  same  objection,  which,  however,  *'  Huyler's," 
"  Tiffany's,"  and  "  Wrigley's  "  avoid.  Legally  the  general 
term  and  the  proper  name  also  involve  difficulties  because  of 
the  likelihood  of  either  accidental  or  deliberate  resemblance. 

Psychologically,  then,  the  trade-name  performs  or  should 
perform  a  variety  of  functions.  It  simplifies  the  act  of  pur- 
chasing ;  facilitates  identification,  recognition,  and  recall ;  pro- 
tects the  consumer  and  the  manufacturer  against  substitution ; 
crystallizes  intangible  but  marketable  qualities  in  the  form  of 
good-will  and  reputation ;  through  its  suggestiveness  acts  as  a 
direct  sales  force;  and  through  its  promissory  character  holds 
the  manufacturer  to  the  maintenance  of  stable  quality,  much 
to  the  mental  and  moral  advantage  of  dealer  and  consumer. 

Other  Factors 

In  addition  to  the  characteristics  here  cited  there  are,  in 
any  given  instance  numerous  other  factors  to  be  considered  in 
the  selection  of  a  trade  symbol,  such  as  the  possibility  of 
registration,  the  likelihood  of  infringement  by  or  on  other 
trade  symbols,  mechanical  details  connected  with  affixing  the 


132  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

symbol  to  the  commodity  or  the  container,  and  the  possibility 
of  a  later  desire  to  capitalize  the  symbol  more  definitely  by 
building  up  a  family  of  products  under  the  same  name  or 
device.  These  are  sufficiently  diverse  to  suggest  that  the 
psycholo'gical  factors  are  by  no  means  the  sole  determinants 
of  the  selection  of  such  symbols,  although  the  consideration 
of  these  commercial,  legal,  and  industrial  factors  is  beyond 
the  scope  of  the  present  chapter. 

The  Psychology  of  Infringement 

There  is  nevertheless  one  aspect  of  the  problem  of  infringe- 
ment that  should  be  pointed  out  in  this  connection.  This  is 
the  problem  of  determining  the  tendency  of  two  similar  trade 
symbols  to  "confuse  the  buying  public"  and  hence  to  con- 
stitute a  case  of  infringement.  When  such  a  case  arises  it  is 
always  necessary  to  determine  the  likelihood  that  the  one  sym- 
bol will  actually  be  confused  with  the  other.  Obviously  con- 
fusion is  a  state  of  mind,  and  the  causes  of  confusion  are 
factors  which  operate  upon  the  purchaser's  mental  processes. 

In  recent  years  the  psychologist  has  been  called  upon  to  de- 
termine the  probabilitv  of  confusion  between  the  members  of 
such  pairs  of  trade  symbols.  Measurements  of  this  character 
have  been  made  with  the  most  striking  results  —  so  striking 
indeed  that  one  investigator  remarked :  "  The  fact  that  the 
average  of  differences  between  (adjudicated)  infringements 
and  (adjudicated)  non-infringements  is  so  small  .  .  .  shows 
the  results  of  judicial  decisions  in  this  field  to  be  quite  un- 
reliable." 

Thus,  under  the  conditions  of  the  tests,  "  Non-X-EU  "  in- 
stead of  "  Xox-all,"  a  case  of  adjudicated  infringement,  con- 
fused only  28  per  cent  of  the  observers,  whereas  under  the 
same  conditions  "  Pinozyme  "  instead  of  "  Peptenzyme,"  an 
adjudicated  non-infringement,  confused  43  per  cent  of  the  ob- 
servers.    The  per  cent  of  confusion  was  the  same   for  the 


TRADE-MARKS  AND  TRADE-NAMES  133 

infringement  "  Nox-all  —  Non-X-Ell  "  and  for  the  non- 
infringement "  Sozodont  —  Kalodont."  The  infringement 
"Club  —  Chancellor  Club"  was  less  confusing  than  the  non- 
infringement "  Mother's  —  Grandma's." 

These  and  other  similar  results  suggest  that  much  more  at- 
tention could  profitably  and  equitably  be  paid  to  the  actual 
measurement  and  analysis  of  trade-mark  and  trade-name  con- 
fusion, and  less  to  the  accumulation  of  incidental  testimony 
and  bundles  of  depositions,  gathered  for  forensic  purposes 
from  dealers,  clerks,  detectives,  and  bona  fide  purchasers. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

HOW   THE  ADVERTISER   CAN   UTILIZE   THE 
PSYCHOLOGICAL  LABORATORY 

The  Laws  of  Human  Nature  —  Scientific  Study 

The  vahie  of  the  scientific  study  of  human  nature  for  the 
problems  of  advertising  has  in  recent  years  been  given  gen- 
eral recognition.  The  study  of  the  laws  of  attention,  interest, 
association,  memory,  emotion,  instinct,  and  thought  yields 
principles  which  apply  directly  to  the  operation  of  the  adver- 
tisement, the  sales  letter,  the  display  window,  the  slogan,  the 
trade-name,  and  the  package.  The  laws  of  reading  and  visual 
perception  relate  with  complete  relevance  to  the  detailed  ques- 
tion of  typography,  the  choice  of  type,  the  arrangement  of 
printed  matter,  and  the  general  lay-out  of  the  advertisement, 
the  poster,  the  letter,  and  the  car  card,  as  well  as  of  the  book- 
let and  the  catalogue.  The  principles  of  suggestion,  choice, 
and  action  bear  especially  directly  on  the  selection  of  selling 
points,  headlines,  illustrations,  and  the  general  theme  and  tone 
of  advertising  copy. 

Among  the  many  indications  that  the  psychological  labora- 
tory is  coming  to  be  more  and  more  useful  in  the  practical 
affairs  of  commerce  and  industry  may  be  cited  the  numerous 
investigations,  experiments,  and  research  undertakings  spon- 
sored and  supported  by  individual  producers  and  agencies, 
local  advertising  clubs,  and  by  national  organizations  of  ad- 
vertising men.  Several  concerns  now  have  a  consulting  psy- 
chologist on  their  staff,  and  many  others  resort  to  the  psy- 

134 


THE  PSYCHOLOGICAL  LABORATORY        135 

chological  laboratories  for  the  purpose  of  having  special  re- 
searches and  tests  planned  and  conducted,  either  in  the  labora- 
tory or  in  the  field. 

What  the  Laboratory  Can  Do 

This  practical  use  of  the  laboratory  results  because  the  gen- 
eral laws  of  human  reaction  must  often  be  particularly  adapted 
and  fitted  to  the  special  circumstances  and  problems  of  a 
marketing  compaign.  It  also  results  from  the  fact  that,  even 
when  no  established  principle  is  available  for  immediate  ap- 
plication, the  laboratory  methods  provide  an  expedient  and 
accurate  way  of  answering  purely  practical  problems.  The 
laboratory  technique  may  eliminate  in  the  very  beginning  the 
danger  of  errors  of  obsen'ation,  statistical  fallacies,  and  preju- 
diced judgment.  Among  the  great  number  of  practical  prob- 
lems that  have  been  investigated  in  particular  cases  the  fol- 
lowing may  be  cited  as  typical  and  suggestive :  measurement  of 
the  "  pulling  power  "  of  advertisements ;  tests  of  the  attention 
and  memory  value  of  trade-names,  slogans,  and  packages ; 
studies  of  the  appropriateness  and  "  atmosphere  "  of  designs, 
containers,  illustrations,  and  "  characters  "  ;  measures  of  the 
legibility  and  invitingness  of  different  arrangements  and 
amounts  of  printed  matter ;  tests  of  the  effectiveness  of  various 
uses  of  white  space;  determination  of  the  permanence  of  im- 
pression produced  by  size  of  space  as  compared  with  frequency 
of  insertion  ;  tests  of  the  actual  confusion  existing  in  the  minds 
of  consumers  between  alleged  infringing  trade-names,  trade- 
marks, wrappers,  etc. ;  measurement  of  the  relative  interest 
and  persuasiveness  of  different  sales  points  and  qualities  of 
commodities;  studies  of  the  influence  of  different  colors  and 
textures  of  paper  on  the  effectiveness  and  legibility  of  print- 
ing; analysis  of  the  correctness  and  conclusiveness  of  statis- 
tical field  investigations. 

The  detailed  character  of  problems  that  have  been  studied 


136  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

in  this  way  cannot  be  rehearsed  here,  partly  for  lack  of  space 
and  partly  because  the  results  are  as  yet  in  many  instances  the 
exclusive  property  of  the  concerns  responsible  for  their  ac- 
cumulation. Three  specific  cases  may,  however,  be  given  in 
order  to  illustrate  the  practical  application  of  the  laboratory 
technique  in  advertising. 

The  Pulling  Power  of  Advertisements 

Many  studies  have  been  made  of  the  relative  **  pulling 
power  "of  advertisements  that  have  been  or  are  about  to  be 
used.  The  task  of  tracing  returns  from  single  advertisements 
by  the  traditional  methods  of  keying  is  in  many  cases  an  im- 
possible one  (as  in  general  publicity  advertising).  In  other 
cases  it  is  laborious,  full  of  sources  of  error,  and  the  campaign 
must  be  carefully  planned  beforehand  if  the  returns  are  to  be 
reliable.  In  strict  mail  order  business  alone  is  the  task  rela- 
tively easy. 

Nevertheless  it  is  universally  realized  that  even  slight  dif- 
ferences in  the  content,  appearance,  arrangement,  style,  etc., 
of  various  pieces  of  copy  may  make  enormous  differences  in 
their  relative  "  pulling  power."  One  of  the  most  useful  dis- 
coveries has  been  that,  by  proper  study  and  analysis  in  the 
psychological  laboratory,  the  relative  "  pulling  power  "  of  ad- 
vertisements can  be  accurately  measured  beforehand.  The 
validity  of  these  measurements  has  been  time  and  time  again 
attested  by  their  close  agreement  with  actual  returns  from  the 
various  advertisements,  in  cases  where  reliable  keying  has  been 
possible. 

The  following  table,  for  example,  gives  a  series  of  adver- 
tisements (indicated  by  letters)  with  their  relative  values  as 
measured  in  the  laboratory  and  their  relative  results  as  in- 
dicated by  the  number  of  inquiries  brought  by  each  piece  of 
copy  when  run  in  two  magazines.  The  first  column  gives  the 
15  advertisements  (all  of  the  same  article  but  differing  from 


THE  PSYCHOLOGICAL  LABORATORY      .137 

each  other  in  a  great  many  ways).  The  second  and  third 
columns  give  the  order  of  superiority  of  these  advertisements 
for  men  and  women.  No.  1  is  the  best,  No.  2  is  next  best, 
and  so  on,  No.  15  meaning  that  the  advertisement  with  that 
grade  was  the  poorest  of  the  series.  The  fourth  column  gives 
the  relative  order  of  merit  when  the  men  and  women  readers 
are  considered  together.  The  fifth  column  gives  the  actual 
number  of  inquiries  produced  by  each  advertisement,  through 
its  appearance  in  two  standard  magazines,  once. 

MEASURING    PULLING    POWER    BEFOREHAND 


Key  to  the 

Positions 

Positions 

Final 

Produced 

Advertise- 

for 

for 

Average 

Actual 

ment 

Men 

Women 

Positions 

Inquiries 

B 

3 

4 

I 

258 

A 

4 

3 

2 

155 

H 

I 

7 

3 

41 

R 

7 

2 

4 

60 

K 

6 

6 

5 

93 

Y 

5 

8 

6 

33 

Z 

2 

II 

7 

30 

W 

13 

I 

8 

44 

J 

8 

9 

9 

37 

D 

12 

5 

10 

15 

C 

9 

12 

II 

9 

G 

II 

13 

12 

I 

F 

14 

10 

13 

7 

0 

15 

14 

14 

8 

E 

10 

15 

15 

5 

The  following  table  presents  the  results  of  another  experi- 
ment of  this  sort,  in  which  the  series  contained  only  five  ad- 
vertisements. The  first  column  indicates  the  advertisement, 
the  second  gives  the  relative  per  cent  values  as  determined  by 
experiment,  the  third  gives  the  number  of  replies  from  each 
advertisement  in  one  magazine,  the  fourth  column  the  number 
of  inquiries  from  the  same  advertisement  in  another  magazine, 


138  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

and  the  last  column  gives  the  total  number  of  replies  from 
each  advertisement. 

MEASURING    PULLING    POWER    BEFOREHAND 


Relative 

Key  to  the 

Values  by 

Replies 

Replies 

Advertise- 

Experiment, 

from  One 

from  2nd 

Total 

ment 

Per  Cent 

Medium 

Medium 

Replies 

A 

27 

68 

16 

84 

B 

29 

68 

20 

88 

C 

31 

80 

25 

105 

D 

32 

83 

32 

115 

E 

33 

94 

44 

138 

Examination  of  the  tables  shows  that  there  is  almost  ab- 
solute agreement  between  the  results  of  the  experiments  and 
the  actual  returns.  If  the  experiment  had  been  performed  at 
an  early  enough  time,  it  would  have  been  possible  to  eliminate 
the  less  effective  advertisements  from  the  campaign,  and  to 
substitute  for  them  more  effective  ones,  based  on  the  principles 
illustrated  in  the  superior  pieces  of  copy.  For  the  laboratory 
study  not  only  measures  the  relative  value  of  the  different 
appeals  but  also  analyzes  out  the  reasons  for  these  differences. 

There  are  now  on  record  a  score  of  such  studies,  and  in  no 
case  has  the  laboratory  study  failed  to  reveal,  beforehand, 
and  as  the  result  of  only  two  or  three  days  of  work,  the  actual 
facts  as  disclosed  by  the  results  of  the  campaign.  Keying 
copy  in  the  old-fashioned  way  is  not  only  difficult  but  wasteful 
and  usually  useless.  The  results  are  not  known  until  the 
campaign  is  over  and  the  money  spent  (frequently  at  the  rate 
of  $5,000  or  more  a  page,  for  a  single  appearance).  The 
poor  appeals  cost  as  much  as  the  good  ones,  in  spite  of  the 
difference  in  the  returns. 

Experimental  Analysis  of  a  Successful  Campaign 

The  advertising  campaign  of  a  particular  commodity  had 
extended  over  a  period  of  two  years,  in  national  periodicals 


THE  PSYCHOLOGICAL  LABORATORY        139 

only.  The  campaign  as  a  whole  had  brought  gratifying  re- 
sults, but  there  were  indications  that  among  the  various  pieces 
of  copy,  with  their  varying  form,  content,  and  appeal,  some 
pieces  were  superior  to  others.  Copy-writer,  typographer, 
illustrator,  and  lay-out  man  had  in  each  instance  made  what 
seemed  to  each  his  best  effort,  although,  since  no  general 
principle  of  appeal  had  been  formulated,  each  was  compelled 
to  rely  on  his  individual  taste  and  personal  bias  —  on  what 
is  sometimes  dignified  by  the  term,  "  inspiration."  Through- 
out the  campaign  the  space  occupied  and  the  media  used  re- 
mained constant,  and  the  commodity  was  not  one  on  the  sale 
of  which  such  variables  as  weather  or  time  of  year  had  any 
marked  influence.  Nevertheless  it  was  felt  that  the  "  inspira- 
tions "  were  by  no  means  equally  effective,  and  in  planning  the 
further  marketing  of  the  commodity  it  was  desired  to  make  a 
more  perfect  campaign  by  discarding  the  ineffective  types  of 
appeal.  Analysis  by  the  printer,  the  illustrator,  the  lay-out 
man.  the  copy-writer  and  the  field  investigator  proved  of  no 
avail.  Although  each  was  a  specialist  in  his  own  field,  no 
one  of  them  was  able  to  formulate  a  principle  of  effective 
appeal  to  be  followed  in  the  next  campaign,  and  so  the  ma- 
terials were  taken  to  the  laboratory. 

Tests  of  "  pulling  power,"  in  the  manner  suggested  in  the 
preceding  section,  made  it  possible  to  arrange  representative 
specimens  of  the  advertising  in  a  graded  series.  At  one  ex- 
treme were  the  specimens  with  high  pulling  power,  and  the 
series  then  tapered  off  in  effectiveness,  through  good,  medium, 
and  poor,  down  to  the  very  poor  appeals.  With  this  experi- 
mental series  in  view  it  w^as  then  possible,  by  tracing  single 
factors  up  or  down  the  series,  to  deduce  certain  clear-cut  prin- 
ciples of  effective  appeal. 

The  Illustrations.  Considering  the  illustrations  first,  the 
following  observations  were  made.  At  the  poor  end  of  the 
series  a  single  individual  was  portrayed,  using  the  commodity 


140  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

in  a  solitary  and  independent  way.  Proceeding  up  toward  the 
good  end  of  the  series  the  number  of  people  increased  uni- 
formly, from  the  solitary  individual  at  the  lower  end,  to  two. 
three,  four,  and,  in  the  most  effective  appeals,  to  five  or  six 
people,  engaged  in  some  social  situation,  their  social  inter- 
course being  facilitated  by  the  use  of  the  commodity  in  ques- 
tion. At  the  lower  end  of  the  series  the  cuts  were  sharp, 
clearly  defined,  with  strong  contrasts  and  hard,  distinct  out- 
lines. Going  up  the  series  the  illustrations  became  softer 
and  less  distinct,  the  contrasts  less  sharp,  the  outlines  less 
defined,  until  at  the  upper  extreme  the  whole  effect  was  sub- 
dued, the  contours  indefinite  and  vague,  and  the  transitions 
subtle  and  gradual,  giving  a  dreamlike,  visionary,  or  twilight 
effect. 

The  Text,  Considering  the  text,  at  the  lower  end  the  copy 
dealt  chiefly  with  the  construction  of  the  commodity,  its  his- 
tory, mechanism,  and  mode  of  operation.  The  appeal  of  the 
text  was  argumentative  and  logical.  Going  up  the  series  the 
argumentative  and  structural  or  engineering  contents  were 
seen  to  be  less  and  less  prominent.  The  text  at  the  upper  end 
of  the  series  described  the  effects,  rather  than  the  mode  of 
producing  them,  appealed  strongly  and  specifically  to  particular 
human  instincts  and  emotions,  three  in  number,  without  call- 
ing them  by  name  or  directing  attention  to  them  in  any  pedantic 
way.  At  the  bottom  of  the  series  the  strictly  marketing  part 
of  the  copy  occupied  considerable  space,  whereas  the  higher 
up  the  series  one  went  the  more  the  marketing  details  fell  away, 
leaving  more  and  more  space  for  the  human-nature  appeal  and 
the  suggestive,  wish-provoking  account  of  effects  produced. 

Conclusions  Arrived  At.  Various  other  factors  of  definite 
importance  were  thus  determined  through  analyzing  the  series, 
some  of  them  increasing  in  prominence  tow'ard  the  good  end 
and  others  toward  the  poor  end.  It  was  possible,  as  a  result 
of  the  laboratory  tests  and  the  psychological  analysis,  to  give 


THE  PSYCHOLOGICAL  LABORATORY        I4I 

specific  principles  for  the  formulation  of  the  new  campaign. 
It  was  clear  that  the  effective  appeal  for  this  commodity  should 
have  the  following  characteristics : 

1.  It  should  not  stress  the  mechanical  and  structural  char- 

acter of  the  commodity  but  should  rather  portray  the 
desirable  effects  occasioned  by  its  use. 

2.  It  should  not  represent  the  commodity  in  the  hands  of 

a  solitary  individual,  but  should  rather  portray  its 
use  in  some  social  situation,  rendering  more  perfect 
and  interesting  the  social  activities  of  the  group. 

3.  It  should  not  proceed  in  terms  of  deliberate  and  didactic 

argument,  but  by  presenting  a  specific  appeal  to  one 
or  other  of  three  definite,  common  instincts  or  emo- 
tions, without  calling  them  by  name  or  directing  con- 
scious attention  to  them. 

4.  It  should  be  illustrated  by  relevant  cuts,  with  character- 

istic tendencies,  especially  avoiding  sharpness  of  con- 
trast, distinctness  of  outline,  and  clearness  of  com- 
position, tending  always  towards  softness,  vagueness, 
and  dreamy  indistinctness. 

5.  Considerably  more  space  should  be  given  to  the  human- 

nature  appeal  than  to  the  more  strictly  marketing  in- 
formation. 

Later  investigation  and  the  use  of  special  methods  of  keying 
the  returns  indicated  that  the  experimental  laboratory  order  of 
effectiveness,  on  the  basis  of  which  this  analysis  was  made, 
agreed  almost  perfectly  with  the  actual  returns.  The  correla- 
tion between  the  laboratory  measurements  and  the  business 
results  was  92  per  cent.  The  case  here  reported  is  but  one  of 
many  illustrations  of  the  practical  value  of  the  technical 
laboratory  analysis  of  the  elements  making  up  the  advertising 
campaign. 


142  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Analyzing  an  Ineffective  Campaign 

In  another  case  a  prolonged  campaign  in  which  82  different 
pieces  of  advertising  copy  had  been  used,  had  given  very  dis- 
couraging results.  People  had  not  been  adequately  impressed 
by  the  commodity  or  its  name,  and  even  when  they  had  been  im- 
pressed by  the  name  or  commodity  they  frequently  were  con- 
fused as  to  the  use  of  the  commodity,  attributing  to  it  the  prop- 
erties of  another  article  which  is  quite  commonly  associated 
with  such  a  commodity.  Hence  we  shall  have  occasion  in  this 
discussion  to  refer  both  to  "  the  commodity  "  and  also  to  "  the 
associated  article."  Manufacturer  and  agency  seemed  unable  to 
explain  the  curious  and  disappointing  results  of  the  campaign, 
and  the  material  was  sent  to  the  laboratory  for  analysis. 

Four  Classes  of  Copy  Used  in  Campaign.  Classification  of 
the  82  advertisements  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  four  prin- 
cipal classes,  according  to  content  and  arrangement,  which 
may  be  indicated  as  follows: 

A  Advertisements  in  which  the  commodity  alone  was  em- 
phasized either  by  way  of  illustration  or  by  way  of 
conspicuous  words  on  the  page  or  by  special  direc- 
tion of  attention  through  being  held  in  some  one's 
hand,  etc. 

B  Advertisements  in  which  both  the  commodity  and  the 
associated  article  were  presented  or  suggested,  the 
commodity  being  emphasized  more  prominently  than 
the  associated  article,  by  being  larger,  more  con- 
spicuously placed  on  the  page,  being  in  blacker  ink, 
or  being  related  to  the  most  prominent  words  on 
the  page. 

C  Cases  in  which  both  commodity  and  associated  article 
were  shown,  and,  by  the  various  devices  suggested 
above,  were  both  given  about  the  same  amount  of 
prominence  in  the  general  lay-out. 


THE  PSYCHOLOGICAL  LABORATORY        143 

D  Cases  in  which  by  far  the  most  conspicuous  object  on 
the  page,  either  because  of  its  size,  two  representa- 
'^ives,  or  some  special  attention  device,  was  the  as- 
sociated article. 

Six  specimens  of  each  of  these  classes  were  now  chosen, 
and  by  a  convenient  device  each  of  tht  six  representing  a  given 
class  was  exposed  for  20  seconds  to  each  of  25  people.  A 
new  group  was  chosen  for  each  of  the  four  classes  of  adver- 
tisements, so  that  the  effect  of  the  different  classes  of  ad- 
vertisements could  be  compared.  After  these  presentations 
each  person  was  asked  the  following  questions.  The  reasons 
for  these  particular  questions  will  in  some  cases  be  apparent ;  in 
other  cases  the  question  merely  serves  to  check  up  other 
answers. 

1.  What  article  is  described  in  the  pages  you  examined? 

What  is  its  particular  name? 

2.  For  what  purpose  is  such  an  article  used? 

3.  Give  the  names  of  other  articles  similar  to  this,  or  used 

for  similar  purposes. 

4.  Recall  in  your  mind's  eye  the  various  pages  you  have 

seen.     What  feature  or  detail  stands  out  most  prom- 
inently in  your  memory  of  the  pages? 

5.  What  feature  or  detail  stands  out  next  most  clearly? 

Checking  Effects.  The  25  tests  for  each  of  the  four  classes 
of  advertisements  were  now  collected  as  four  separate  groups, 
and  the  replies  to  these  questions  checked  up.  It  will  be  seen 
that  the  first  question  when  answered  reveals  the  success  with 
which  the  advertisement  leaves  in  the  mind  of  the  reader  the 
specific  trade  name  of  the  article.  False  replies  will  suggest 
any  difficulties  in  the  name  itself.  The  second  question  is 
designed  to  determine  whether  the  reader  has  gotten  the  gen- 
eral impression  of  the  commodity  or  the  impression  of  the  as- 


144  PSYCHOLOGICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

sociated  article,  since  their  uses  are  different.  The  third  ques- 
tion checks  up  the  repHes  to  questions  i  and  2.  The  last  two 
questions  show  what  is  left  in  the  reader's  mind  after  the 
reading  is  over  —  what  he  carried  away  as  the  result  of  having 
seen  the  various  advertisements  of  the  particular  class. 

The  results,  tabulated  in  terms  of  per  cent  of  readers  seeing 
a  given  class  of  advertisements,  were  as  follows : 


Class 
of 
Adver- 
tisement 

Per  Cent 

Getting 

Correct 

Idea  of 

Commodity 

Per  Cent 

Getting 

Idea  of 

Associated 

Article 

Per  Cent 

Getting 

Name 

Correct 

Per  Cent   Who 

Carry  Away 

Mental  Image 

of  Commodity 

Per  Cent   Who 

Carry  Away 

Image  of 

Associated 

Article 

A 

100 

0 

93 

93 

0 

B 

88 

12 

77 

53 

6 

C 

93 

7 

62 

38 

13 

D 

77 

23 

65 

35 

47 

It  is  apparent  that  as  we  begin  with  Class  A  and  go  down 
the  column,  the  Classes  B,  C,  and  D  become  regularly  of  less 
and  less  value.  A  smaller  number  of  readers  get  the  correct 
idea  of  the  commodity  and  more  of  them  get  the  idea  of  the 
associated  article  instead.  Fewer  and  fewer  remember  the 
correct  name  of  the  commodity,  fewer  and  fewer  carry  away 
a  clear  picture  of  the  commodity,  and  more  and  more  get  a 
clear  picture  of  the  associated  article  instead  —  an  irrelevant 
picture.  Clearly,  of  the  four  classes.  Class  A  and  Class  B 
are  much  superior  to  Class  C  and  Class  D.  The  two  latter 
classes  convey  a  wrong  impression,  and  they  fail  to  impress 
the  correct  name,  the  function,  and  the  memory  of  the  com- 
modity. 

Wrong  Emphasis  in  Copy.  When  the  82  advertisements 
making  up  the  whole  campaign  were  classified  under  these 
four  heads  it  was  found  that  14  belonged  to  Class  A,  18  to 
Class  B,  25  to  Class  C,  and  25  to  Class  D.  That  is  to  say, 
of  the  82  advertisements  making  up  the  campaign.  50  were 
of  the  inferior  classes,  always  conveying  the  wrong  impression. 


THE  PSYCHOLOGICAL  LABORATORY        145 

Numerous  other  points  of  importance  always  result  from  such 
an  analysis,  but  for  our  present  purpose  it  is  sufficient  to  present 
this  main  feature.  The  analysis  and  tests  of  the  ineffective 
campaign  disclosed  principles  of  effective  appeal  which,  when 
followed  in  the  succeeding  campaign,  produced  results  of  the 
most  gratifying  nature. 

Practical  Utilization  of  Psychological  Technique 

In  this  chapter  we  have  indicated  that  not  only  does  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  laws  of  human  behavior  constitute  an  important 
part  of  the  equipment  of  the  advertising  man,  but  that  the 
special  technique  of  the  laboratory  may  also  be  effectively 
utilized  l)y  the  advertiser.  The  "psychology  of  advertising" 
of  the  future  will  consist  of  more  than  the  body  of  general 
laws  and  principles  of  human  nature  and  behavior.  These 
will  always  be  useful  and  suggestive,  especially  from  the  point 
of  view  of  the  beginner.  But  as  time  goes  on  there  is  being 
added  to  this  body  of  general  lore  a  series  of  concrete,  specific 
investigations  and  studies  of  special  technical  problems,  con- 
ducted with  all  the  rigor  and  caution  of  laboratory  technique, 
suggested  and  prompted  by  the  practical  interests  of  business. 
Just  as  the  manufacturer  is  utilizing  the  expert  services  of  the 
chemist,  the  electrician,  the  physicist,  and  the  engineer,  so 
the  advertiser  is  utilizing  the  expert  services  of  the  psychologist. 

References  for  Further  Reading  on  the  Psychological 
Factors  in  Advertising 

Advertising  and  Selling,  by  H.  L.  Hollingworth. 

The  Psychology  of  Advertising,  by  W.  D.  Scott. 

The  Theory  of  Advertising,  by  W.  D.  Scott. 

The  Relative  Merits  of  Advertisements,  by  E.  K.  Strong. 

Advertising.  Its  Mental  Laws,  by  H.  F.  Adams. 

Advertising,  by  D.  Starch. 

Applied  Psychology,  by  Hollingworth  and  Poffenberger. 


PART  III 
ADVERTISING  COPY 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE    DISTIXCTIVE    NATURE    AND    PURPOSE    OF 
ADVERTISING  COPY 

Its  Relation  to  Other  Parts  of  Advertising 

Before  we  can  intelligently  discuss  the  matter  of  advertis- 
ing copy,  it  is  necessary  to  review  its  relation  to  the  other  parts 
of  advertising  and  also  to  know  its  difference  from  other  forms 
of  composition. 

From  the  layman's  standpoint,  copy  is  the  most  important 
part  of  advertising.  It  is  the  part  he  sees  and  the  part  by 
which  the  advertiser's  message  is  conveyed  to  him.  From  the 
advertising  man's  standpoint,  it  is  only  a  small  part,  subor- 
dinate in  his  mind  to  the  finding  of  the  right  sales  plan,  the 
proper  selection  of  media,  and  the  determination  of  the  best 
psychological  appeal. 

The  writer  of  advertising  copy  must  give  due  weight  to 
each  of  these  views.  He  must  know  what  the  sales  plan  is, 
and  what  appeal  the  psychology  of  the  situation  demands. 
He  must,  however,  recognize  that  knowledge  of  these  things 
is  useless  unless  the  copy  he  writes  performs  its  work  of  im- 
pressing the  message  upon  those  who  may  become  buyers  of 
the  article.  Copy  is  the  crystallization  of  the  science  and  the 
art  of  advertising. 

In  the  larger  sense,  advertising  copy  includes  all  the  sym- 
bols by  which  the  advertising  message  is  given  —  not  merely 
words,  but  form,  color,  illustrations,  type,  ornament,  and  the 
like,  all  of  which  are  parts  of  the  language  of  advertising. 
Often  these  parts  are  more  potent  than  words  in  making  an 
impression.     They  may  neutralize  or  reinforce  the  effect  of 

149 


ISO  ADVERTISING  COPY 

the  message  in  words.  The  proper  use  of  these  elements  is 
considered  elsewhere  in  this  volume  under  the  head  of  Ad- 
vertising Display.  In  this  section  we  are  concerned  only  with 
the  message  in  words,  or  the  "  text." 

Distinction  from  Other  Forms  of  Composition 

The  problem  of  writing  advertising  copy  is  more  than  a 
matter  of  grammar  and  rhetoric.  It  is  true  that  most  writers 
need  instruction  in  these  elementary  matters.  Every  day  we 
see  advertisements  that  violate  some  simple  rule  of  grammar. 
One  car-card  assures  us  that,  "  We  have  been  friends  for  over 
20  years  and  it  don't  seem  a  day  too  long."  Another  says, 
"  Every  woman  should  have  a  Tightfit  Petticoat.  They  will 
use  them  once  they  have  tried  them." 

Grammar  and  rhetoric,  necessary  as  they  are,  are  only  in- 
cidental to  the  main  purpose,  which  is  to  write  English  that 
will  influence  people  to  buy.  If  disregard  of  grammar  would 
help  to  accomplish  this  result,  then  it  might  safely  be  disre- 
garded. In  the  absence  of  evidence  on  this  point,  we  must 
believe  that  the  purpose  of  advertising  copy  can  be  best  ac- 
complished by  reasonable  conformity  to  the  requirements  of 
good  use  in  language. 

The  writers  of  advertising  copy,  however,  have  more  free- 
dom in  the  matter  of  language  than  the  writers  of  other  forms 
of  English  composition.  Their  work  is  not  judged  by  any 
abstract  critical  standards  of  good  and  bad,  but  by  the  con- 
crete, tangible  results  of  dollars  and  cents  profit. 

In  other  words,  their  art  is  distinctly  utilitarian.  Other 
forms  of  composition  exist  mainly  to  instruct  or  to  please: 
advertising  copy  is  written  to  stimulate  response.  It  may 
please  or  instruct  incidentally,  but  unless  it  moves  toward 
action  in  some  degree,  it  is  inefficient.  The  rhymes  of  Phcrbe 
Snow  and  the  Spotless  Town  jingles  were  good  advertising, 
not  because  they  were  cleverly  written  verse  or  because  they 


PURPOSE  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  151 

amused  us  for  the  instant,  but  because  they  impressed  upon 
us  the  distinctive  merits  of  the  Lackawanna  Railroad  and 
SapoHo  so  that  we  ultimately  gave  them  our  patronage.  Ad- 
vertising copy  must  always  influence  action. 

This  distinction  between  advertising  English  and  literature 
has  a  deep  significance.  When  people  read  for  interest  or  in- 
struction they  do  so  willingly.  They  give  their  time  and 
energy.     They  may  even  make  some  sacrifice. 

This  does  not  refer  to  a  money  sacrifice  —  though  people 
buy  literature.  It  means  a  real  mental  sacrifice.  The  passage 
of  ideas  from  one  mind  to  another  is  difficult.  We  must  have 
a  glossary  to  read  Chaucer  or  Shakespeare.  We  must  study 
to  catch  the  message  of  Browning.  Ehjoyment  of  the  classics 
of  even  our  own  language  does  not  come  easily  to  any  of  us. 
In  all  reading  there  must  be  some  adjustment  between  the 
writer  and  the  reader,  before  the  message  can  be  grasped. 
And  in  the  case  of  literature,  the  reader  makes  it. 

Expression  and  Impression 

That  is  why  we  so  commonly  speak  of  expressing  ourselves. 
The  writer  in  other  fields  thinks  of  expression.  He  has  ideas 
and  feelings  to  throw  out  —  and  out  he  throws  them.  If  any 
one  wants  them  he  must  come  and  pick  them  up.  Students 
of  English  composition  are  not  always  asked  to  convey  ideas. 
They  are  asked  to  express  them.  And  having  no  one  to  con- 
vey them  to,  they  convey  no  ideas  —  often  express  none. 

This  is  not  a  criticism  of  literature.  It  is  well  for  a  man 
to  learn  to  catch  the  ideas  of  others.  It  gives  power  and 
the  sense  of  power.  But  when  we  come  to  write  advertising 
or  any  other  business  message  we  must  write  for  the  reader. 
If  there  is  any  adjustment  to  make  we  must  make  it.  We 
must  make  reading  as  easy  as  possible  for  him.  We  must 
economize  his  time  and  energy. 

In  a  word,  the  writer  of  advertising  English  must  be  less 


152  ADVERTISING  COPY 

concerned  with  expression  than  with  impression.  The  writer 
of  hteratiire  should  be  less  concerned  with  expression,  but  he 
is  not  obliged  to  be.  Advertising  men  realize  this  important 
truth  when  they  speak  of  copy  that  "  gets  across."  Whoever 
praised  a  poem  by  saying  that  it  "  gets  across  "  ?  No,  we  talk 
about  the  imagery,  the  depth  of  feeling  the  writer  had,  and 
so  on. 

Advertising  is  not  generally  read  because  of  deliberate  in- 
tention. The  reader  does  not  buy  advertising.  It  is  thrust 
upon  him.  If  it  is  to  succeed  it  must  not  only  get  his  atten- 
tion away  from  the  editorial  matter  placed  next  to  it  in  the 
newspaper  or  magazine,  but,  having  secured  his  attention,  it 
must  be  so  interesting  that  he  will  read  it  in  preference  to 
the  material  he  has  bought  for  interest  or  instruction.  ^lore- 
over,  he  will  not  strain  his  mind  to  catch  ideas  that  lead  to  the 
expenditure  of  money. 

Style  in  Advertising  Copy 

Right  here  we  come  to  a  point  that  is  of  prime  importance. 
The  belief  that  writing  was  a  matter  of  expression  has  been 
responsible  for  an  erroneous  conception  of  the  nature  of  style 
and  an  exaggerated  idea  of  its  importance. 

Style  used  to  be  considered  the  dress  of  thought.  There 
was  a  notion  that  thought  and  language  were  separable. 
Later  it  came  to  be  recognized  that  thought  can  only  come  in 
the  symbols  by  which  it  is  conveyed.  The  painter  thinks  in 
terms  of  form  and  color;  the  musician  thinks  in  terms  of 
sound;  the  writer  thinks  in  terms  of  words.  So  the  form  of 
language  is  inseparable  from  the  thought  conveyed. 

The  modern  conception  of  style  is  that  it  is  the  individuality 
of  the  writer  as  mirrored  in  his  expression.  Buffon's  famous 
definition,  "  le  style  est  de  riwinnir  jiioiie  " — ''  Style  is  of  the 
man  himself" — is  generally  accepted  now.  It  is  even  cor- 
rupted to  "  Style  is  the  man  himself."     Arlo  Bates,  one  of  the 


PURPOSE  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  153 

sanest  rhetoricians  of  the  present  day,  says,  "  Style  is  the  in- 
dividuahty  of  a  work.  Style  is  the  personal  impress  a  writer 
inevitably  sets  upon  his  production." 

Now,  we  do  not  need  to  cast  aside  these  definitions  of  style 
as  untrue,  but  we  must  recognize  that  they  are  inadequate  for 
the  writer  of  advertising  English.  The  reason  is  that  they 
take  into  account  only  one  element  of  the  three  that  affect 
every  piece  of  composition  —  the  writer,  the  subject,  and  the 
reader.  Here  is  a  better  definition  for  our  purposes :  Style 
is  the  man  in  the  right  relation  to  his  subject  and  reader. 

Even  writers  of  literature  sometimes  differ  in  "  style " 
when  writing  on  different  subjects  or  to  different  groups  of 
people.  Take  Browning.  What  similarity  is  there  between 
"  The  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin "  and  "  The  Ring  and  the 
Book  "?  If  both  had  been  published  anonymously,  could  any 
man  have  guessed  that  they  came  from  the  same  mind?  In 
one  Browning  was  writing  for  children ;  in  the  other,  for  men 
of  high  degree  of  intelligence  and  education,  or  perhaps  for 
himself  alone.  Style  was  different  because  the  class  of  read- 
ers was  different.  It  is  a  curious  commentary,  and  one  that 
does  not  lack  significance  for  us,  that  the  poem  for  children. 
"  The  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin,"  is  still  the  poem  of  his  that  is 
best  known  and  best  liked  by  the  multitude. 

Suitability  to  Occasion 

The  writer  of  advertising  copy  should  forget  style,  forget 
self,  think  of  those  readers  that  he  wants  to  reach,  find  the 
ideas  that  will  appeal  to  them,  the  emotions  that  can  be 
aroused  in  them,  the  language  that  they  can  understand,  and 
the  action  they  can  be  forced  to  take. 

}klany  instances  could  be  cited  of  the  failure  to  adapt  the 
language  to  the  reader.  Look  at  the  defense  that  was  set  up 
in  advertising  by  the  New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  at 
the  time  when  public  sentiment  against  it  was  so  strong.     The 


THIS  ADVERTISEMENT  IS  DEDICATED 
TO  THE  TOILERS  OF  THE  WORLD. 

practitioners  of  the  sciences;  men  of  brain  auid  brawn, 
an  union  of  trained  intelligences  co-operating  to  evolve 
a  perfect  product 

The  world  tenders  respect  to  the  man  who  is  a  mas- 
ter of  means  and  methods,  for  when  he  leams  and 
knows  his  tcisk  thoroughly  it  teaches  him  to  respect 
what  he  leams,  because  merit  and  true  worth  are  im- 
parted to  that  which  he  produces. 

In  the  Hyatt  workshops,  the  melting  pot  of  science 
and  skill,  scholars  of  labor  construct  perfect  automobile 
bearings,  so  quiet  in  operation  that  speeding  motorists  i 
disturb  not  silent  vesper  hours. 

-HYATT    QUIET    BEARINGS- 
HYATT  ROLLER  BEARING  COMPANY 
Detroit  Newark,  N.  J.  Qucago 


ILLUSTRAT 


T    E    R    AT    U    R   E 


REQUEST 


Pretentious  style,  unsuited  to  the  readers 


154 


PURPOSE  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  155 


THE  TRUTH  no  2 

The  only  serious  accident  on  (he  main  line  of  the  New  York, 
New  Haven  2l  Hartford  Railroad,  thus  far  this  year  between  Boston  and 
New  York,  was  at  Westport,  October  3rd,  when  the  engineer,  with  five 
years  of  clear  record  behind  him,  from  some  forever  unknown  cause, 
passed  seven  signals  and  warnings  and  took  a  No.  10  crossover  at  50  miles 
an  hoar  where  his  speed  regulation  called  for  IS.  He  lost  his  life  and 
the  lives  of  six  others.  Had  the  crossover  been  a  No.  20,  the  speed  limit 
for  which  is  25  miles  an  hour^  the  result  would  have  been  the  same. 

But  there  may  be  some  violatran  of  rules  and  regulations  in  the 
future,  when,  with  a  somewhat  less  speed,  a  No.  20  crossover,  which  is 
50%  longer  than  a  No.  10,  may  save  a  train  from  disaster;  and  No.  20 
crossovers  have  been  ordered  installed  for  all  express  service  as  soon  a* 
the  4(etither  will  permit.  . 

Meanwhile  the  Public  Utilities  Commission  of  Connecticut  hat 
ordered  that  all  express  trains  come  to  a  full  stop  at  crossovers  before 
the  switch  is  changed  for  the  detour  of  the  train. 

This  order  is  being  strictly  complied  with  and  lengthens  the  running 
time  between  New  York  and  Boston  by  twelve  minutes,  some  of  which  can 
be  made  up  in  clear  sections  of  the  track. 

But,  as  SAFETY  MUST  BE  THE  FIRST  CONSIDERATION, 
the  officials  of  the  road  are  now  figuring  to  what  extent  there  should  be  a 
readjustment  of  the  time  schedule  temporarily  for  the  winter  traffic 

The  New  York  and  Chicago  expresses  have  lengthened  their  time 
for  the  winter  by  two  hoars  and  a  corresponding  lengthening  of  our  five 
hour  trains  would  mean  a  winter  time  of  five  hours  and  a  half  for  our  pres- 
ent five  hour  trains.  This  is  quite  unnecessary  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the 
New  Haven  roadbed  and  rails  are  unsurpassed  for  solidity  of  construction 
by  any  railroad  in  the  United  States;  and  if  it  is  finally  determined  that 
with  these  stops  at  crossovers  there  must  be  a  lengthening  of  time  schedules 
it  will  not  be  more  than  fifteen  minutes  for  the  five  hour  expresses  and  in 
inch  proportion  as  may  be  found  necessary  for  other  trains. 

CHARLES  S.  MELLEN, 

President. 


Cold,  formal  language  —  obscure  and  lacking  in  general  appeal 

intellectual  person  could  understand  and  appreciate  its  mes- 
sages, but  how  about  the  great  mass  of  people,  whose  average 
education  is  only  equivalent  to  the  fifth  grade!  And  these 
people  are  the  ones  that  the  railroad  most  needs  to  reach ;  they 
are  the  ones  from  whom  outcries  against  the  railroads  come. 
Did  the  railroad  get  down  to  their  level  and  talk  to  them? 
No,  its  copy  was  dignified  and  cold,  almost  antagonistic.  No 
wonder  it  failed  to  change  the  public  sentiment. 


'56 


ADVERTISING  COPY 


Says  Phoebe  Snow^: 
"These  emblems  show 
_^'     //I  Your  pride  in  letting 

'  People  know 

^yi  That  day  or  night 

^/  /  Their  saipety's  quite 

First  rule  on  Road 

of  Anthracite.** 


Safety  means  efficiency.  PersonaJ  efficiency  minimizes  accidents. 
Thats  why  Lackawanna  employees  aie  striving  to  put  "Safety 
First"  above  every  other  consideration.  The  button  which  they 
have  adopted  is  intended  to  (asten  the  gnp  of  safety  on  every 
mile  of  Lackawanna  track. 


.ackawanna 

]ailroa( 


The   Road  of  Anthracite 


iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinMr 


iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirllillllllllllllliJTr 


Simple,  concrete  appeal  that  reaches  the  public 


Compare  with  this  the  popular  advertising  of  the  Lacka- 
wanna. 

Advertising  Engh'.sh.  therefore,  must  be  suited  to  the  reader 
—  written  for  the  reader.  He  must  be  made  to  read,  to  un- 
derstand, and  to  react.  Tt  should,  in  addition,  be  suited  to  the 
subject.  Jewelry  and  tobacco  do  not  admit  the  same  style  of 
copy,  because  the  feelings  associated  with  their  use  are  quite 
different.  The  style  may  also  be  suited  to  the  advertiser. 
The  style  of  English  that  is  suital)le  for  the  United  Cigar 
Stores  would  not  do  for  Tiffany.  The  style  that  is  permissible 
for  WTigley  w'ould  not  help  Huyler's.  It  sbould  be  remem- 
bered, however,  that  the  writer  personally  —  that  is  to  say,  the 
man  who  actually  gets  up  the  copy  —  does  not  come  into  the 


PURPOSE  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  157 

question  at  all.  The  less  style  he  has,  the  better.  Certainly 
he  should  have  no  mannerisms.  He  should  have  sufficient 
versatility  to  suit  his  message  to  the  reader,  the  subject,  and 
the  advertiser  —  and  forget  himself. 

Relation  to  Personal  Selling 

The  personal  salesman  and  the  writer  of  sales  material  in 
the  form  of  letters  meet  very  much  the  same  problem  as  the 
writer  of  advertising  copy,  but  it  has  certain  differences.  The 
personal  salesman  can  make  a  new  adjustment  to  each  pros- 
pect that  he  meets.  He  can  find  the  language  that  the  pros- 
pect uses,  the  arguments  that  are  suited  to  his  character,  and 
the  tone  that  harmonizes  with  his  mood.  H  he  is  a  good 
salesman  he  will  do  all  this.  The  writer  of  sales  letters  like- 
wise, though  to  a  less  degree,  makes  a  personal  adjustment 
to  his  readers,  whether  they  be  one  or  a  hundred  thousand. 
The  advertising  writer,  however,  cannot  do  this.  The  at- 
tempt to  make  his  adjustment  personal,  to  make  his  sales  talk 
a  substitute  for  the  personal  conversation,  is  usually  fore- 
doomed to  failure. 

Compare  the  situation  of  the  sales  letter  (sometimes  called 
circular  letter  or  form  letter)  with  that  of  the  general  magazine 
advertisement.  The  form  letter  may  be  sent  to  thousands, 
even  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people  —  but  they  are  selected 
in  advance  by  some  principle.  They  are  people  who  have 
responded  to  a  certain  advertisement,  or  their  names  appear 
on  a  list  because  they  are  engaged  in  a  certain  business,  be- 
cause they  possess  a  certain  amount  of  wealth,  because  they 
have  bought  by  mail  a  certain  class  of  commodities,  or  because 
they  have  some  other  feature  of  similarity  that  gives  the  writer 
a  possible  point  of  contact  with  them.  He  can  adjust  his 
message  to  the  typical  prospect. 

But  the  readers  of  the  general  magazine  include  nearly  all 
classes  of  humanity,  alike  only  in  their  ability  to  read.     The 


158  ADVERTISING  COPY 

contents  of  magazines  of  large  circulation  are  usually  so 
varied  as  to  appeal  to  the  widest  possible  range  of  readers. 
The  advertiser  cannot  adapt  his  message  to  the  typical  reader 
for  there  is  no  "  typical  reader."  He  must  construct  it  so  as  to 
reach  and  appeal  to  the  largest  number  of  prospective  buyers. 
In  other  words,  the  advertising  writer  must  adjust  to  the 
mass.  His  readers  are  not  picked  out  beforehand.  His  ad- 
vertisement must  pick  them  out  automatically.  This  means 
that  he  must  find  the  appeals  and  language  that  are  most 
suitable  to  the  majority  of  possible  buyers,  and  use  them. 
The  task  would  be  quite  hopeless  if  human  beings  —  the  read- 
ers —  were  not  so  much  alike.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  as 
psychology  has  shown,  they  react  in  much  the  same  w'ay  to 
the  same  stimuli.  Class  distinctions  there  are ;  individual  dis- 
tinctions there  are.  These  will  be  considered  later  in  connec- 
tion with  various  class  publications  w'hich  demand  special 
appeals.  Our  first  task  is  to  find  the  qualities  that  make  copy 
efficient  with  the  majority. 

Qualities  of  Effective  Copy  —  Economy 

These  qualities  can  be  grouped  under  two  main  heads : 
first,  those  that  serve  the  purpose  of  economy;  second,  those 
that  serve  the  purpose  of  distinctiveness.  Of  these  the  former 
class  is  the  more  important.  No  one  has  ever  given  a  better 
definition  of  the  qualities  that  should  be  found  in  advertising 
copy  than  has  Herbert  Spencer  in  his  "  Philosophy  of  Style." 
The  whole  task  of  the  writer  should  be  to  make  reading;  easv. 
to  make  the  conveyance  of  thought  and  feeling  certain.  Ad- 
vertising copy  should  economize  the  reader's  attention;  that  is 
to  say,  his  time  and  mental  effort. 

I.  Clearness 

In  securing  economy,  the  most  necessary  quality  is  clear- 
ness.    The  meaning  of  a  message  should  be  plain  at  first 


Distinctiveness  without  paying 
anything  extra  for  reputation 

Moline-Knight  cars  now  in  the 
hands  of  private  owners  have 
made  good.  Every  claim  made 
by  us  has  been  substantiated. 


Moline-Knight 
represents  progress 


The  Moline-Knight  sleeve 
valve  type  of  engine  repre- 
sents  today  the   greatest 
real,  substantial  progress  in  motor  construction. 

It  is  individually  distinctive,  a  powerful,  reliable, 
silent  car — engineered  with  surpassing  skill — built 
in  small  quantities  with  great  care — finished  in  a 
high  class  manner,  matchless  throughout — and 
nothing  added  to  the  price  for  reputation. 

This  is  the  motor  that  made  the  phenomenal  337 
hour  non-stop  run  in  the  laboratory  of  the  Automo- 
bile Club  of  America,  New  York,  averaging  38  horse- 
power under  load  and  at  the  end  of  the  test  reach- 
ing 53.6  horsepower  at  1682  revolutions  per  minute. 

The  Moline-Knight  is  distinctive  and  is  a  car  that 
is  instantly  recognized  on  the  boulevard.  It  is  sym- 
bolic of  reliability,  comfort  and  luxuriousness,  and 
is  as  near  perfection  as  human  brains,  energy  and 
automatic  machinery  are  possible  to  make  it.  All 
steels,  wood,  upholstering,  leather  and  other  mate- 
rials "used  in  the  Moline-Knight  cannot  be  better 
because  the  world's  markets  and  craftsmanship 
have  not  yet  produced  anything  superior. 

Get  our  Because  of  our  limited  production — 
literature  ^°^  over  1200  cars  during  1915 — and 
^  the  increasing  and  insistent  demand  for 
Knight  Motored  cars  at  a  fair  price — the  Moline- 
Knight  50  H.  P.,  Four-Cylinder  at  $2500  will  be 
oversold  early.  So  write  at  once  foir  descriptive 
booklets  and  get  acquainted  with  this  splendid  car. 

Dealers  ^^  y"*  have  been  selling  a  high  grade 
=3  car,  write'us  at  once  for  advance  infor- 
mation regarding  Roadster,  Sedan  and  Limousine 
to  be  added  to  the  Moline-Knight  line.  We  will 
require  a  limited  number  of  high  grade  men  to 
market  our  entire  production. 


'I3WJ 


Too  many  broad  generalizations 
159 


On  Ordinary  Paper  one  letter  costs 

+ 


(=].K.a=5^ 


On  Old  Hampshire  Bond 


What  Do  You  Buy  with  the 
Xo  of  a  cent  you  save? 

One  average  letter  on  a  fair  to-middling  com- 
mercial stationery  will  cost  you  at  the  very  least 
5  cents. 

This  includes  stenographer's  time,  typewriter 
wear  and  tear,  postage  and  the  office  boy's 
service.    Your  time  in  dictation  is  not  counted 

The  same  letter  on  Old  Hampshire  Bond 
would  cost  5  and  i/io  cents. 

For  l/lO  of  a  cent  more  per  letter— l/^  a  cent 
on  &  series  of  five  letters — you  can  have  the 
undeniable  prestige  and  dignity  afforded  by 


dt^iGireBoai 


What  better  advertising  can  you  buy  for  a  tenth  of  a 
cent  per  letter?  For  '/io  of  a  cent  per  letter,  your  let- 
ter becomes  the  peer  of  any— suitably  expressing  the 
standards  of  your  business. 

Firms  have  been  known  to  register  letters— to  put 
special  delivery  stamps  on  them  — to  announce  their 
coming  by  telegrams  — to  resort  to  any  number  of  costly 
schemes  to  get  attention  for  their  letters. 

Why  all  this  when  Old  Hampshire  Bond  gets  atten- 
tion by  its  character?  It  is  the  crisp,  crackling  bond 
paper  used  by  the  kind  of  men  and  firms  whose  mes- 
sages are  important  and  who  do  not  write  for  idle  or 
unnecessary  reasons. 

No  man  who  is  not  proud  of  his  business  feels  any 
incentive  to  use  Old  Hampshire  Bond. 

Wntf  to  us  using  your  present  letterhead,  wc  will 
send  free  the  Old  Hampshire  Book  of  Specimens  — • 
book  assembled  and  bound  up  to  interest  business  men 
We  will  also  send  you.  from  time  to  time.  mstructivC 
matter  from  our  Service  Department 

HAMPSHIRE     PAPER    COMPANY 
SOUTH     HADLEY     FALLS.     MASS 


per  thousand  Each  letter  you  *rtte 
makes  its  individual  impression  Re- 
membei  this  when  you  buy  stationery 


Simple,  direct  copy,  easily  read  and  understood 
i6o 


PURPOSE  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY 


i6i 


glance.  Unusual  words,  long  involved  sentences,  and  strained, 
pretentious  phrases  all  obscure  the  message.  Vague  generali- 
zations, such  as  "  Finest  Quality,''  "  Best  in  the  Market,"  and 
many  others  equally  trite  and  familiar  destroy  the  clearness, 
because  if  they  convey  any 
message  at  all,  it  is  too  in- 
exact to  make  an  impres- 
sion. 

In  general,  the  writer 
should  take  care  that  the 
reader  be  not  distracted 
from  the  thought  to  the 
words  that  convey  the 
thought.  It  has  long  been 
recognized  that  an  illustra- 
tion is  inefficient  if  it  draws 
attention  away  from  the 
copy  and  bears  no  neces- 
sary relation  to  the  mes- 
sage. In  just  the  same 
way  every  word  in  the  copy 
should  be  a  part  of  the 
message.  It  is  nothing  in 
itself.     That   is   why   it 

would  not  pay  to  use  simplified  spelling  in  advertising.  Rec- 
ognition of  the  words  would  be  slow  and  some  mental  power 
would  be  taken  away  from  the  understanding  of  the  message 
itself  to  a  recognition  of  the  symbols. 

2.  Correctness 

This  indicates  why  economy  demands  correctness  of  lan- 
guage. The  language  must  be  that  to  which  the  reader  is 
accustomed,  and  the  majority  of  people  are  accustomed  to 
what  is  correct.     Indeed,  correctness  is  only  the  crystallized 


Paint  Fine-ness 

House  paint,  to  bft 
good,  must  be  smooth 
as  silk  and  opaque  as 
ivory.  Both  qualities 
result  largely  from 
fineness. 

Dutch  Boy  White 
Leadsifts through  finest 
silk  — 28.000  micro- 
scopic holes  to  the  inch. 
With  Dutch  Boy  Lin- 
seed Oil  it  makes  the 
smoothest,  most  opaque 
paint. 


DiHk  B^  miu  UaJ—wiU»  i 


t  Uad  in  ttecl  kegt,  12H,  2S,  SO  and  100  Ibt.     Dutch  Ber 

gallon  mJed  cut.     Aik  yout  paint  dnicr. 

'Paiminj  Helpi  IJ,"  fi,ll  of  p«nt  facta.     Include*  atalof  ol 


NATIONAL  LEAD  COMPANY 


Concise  copy,  well  arranged 


1 62 


ADVERTISING  COPY 


preference  of  the  majority.  Advertising  copy  is  not  bound 
by  the  rigid  rules  of  the  rhetorician.  If  the  majority  of  pos- 
sible buyers  accept  a  usage  as  correct,  that  is  sufficient,  but 
they  must  not  be  distracted  by  construction  and  words  that 
appear  to  be  incorrect.     In  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred, 

advertising  copy  should  con- 
form strictly  to  the  accepted 
principles  of  grammar  and 
word  use. 


N-wg^j^^y 


Verbose  copy,  badly  arranged 


3.  Conciseness 

The  third  and  most  obvi- 
ous quality  in  securing  econ- 
omy of  attention  is  concise- 
ness. Waste  words  put  an 
unnecessary  tax  upon  the 
reader.  In  view  of  the  fact 
that,  unless  specially  inter- 
ested, he  will  not  give  much 
time  to  the  reading  of  any 
individual  advertisement,  the 
message  must  be  put  in  as 
few  words  as  can  be  used. 


Upon  this  point  it  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  at  length  because 
the  high  cost  of  space  prompts  the  advertiser  to  boil  down  his 
message  as  much  as  possible.  In  this  one  quality  his  interests 
and  those  of  the  reader  are  identical. 

It  may  be  stated,  however,  that  conciseness  must  not  be  se- 
cured at  the  expense  of  clearness.  ]\lost  ambiguities  in  ad- 
vertising come  from  the  attempt  to  say  too  much  in  too  few 
words.  One  case  in  point  is  the  famous  example  of  the  Tur- 
kish bath  proprietor  who  advertised  "  Ladies'  Department 
Separate,  except  on  Sundays  and  holidays."  An  advertise- 
ment of  a  real  estate  dealer  read,  "  Two  Houses,  one  $5,000, 


PURPOSE  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY 


163 


one  $4,500.  They  won't  last 
long."  Again,  conciseness  is 
dangerous  if  it  results  merely 
in  vague  generalities  about  an 
article.  However  small  the 
space,  room  must  be  found  to 
say  something  specific  and  defi- 
nite. 

Effective    Qualities  —  Distinc- 
tiveness 

The  other  main  effect  to  be 
produced  by  a  piece  of  adver- 
tising copy  is  distinctiveness. 
This  is  the  quality  of  original- 
ity that  commands  the  reader's 
attention  in  spite  of  himself. 
Advertising  men  usually  call  it 
by  the  vague  term  "  Punch." 

Sometimes  Over-Emphasized 

There  is  a  general  tendency 
to  over-emphasize  the  impor- 
tance of  distinctiveness  and 
frequently  other  things  more 
valuable  are  sacrificed  for  it. 
Writers  of  advertising  copy 
too  often  attempt  to  be  differ- 
ent from  somebody  else  or  to 
imitate  somebody  else  without 
considering  whether  the  result 
is  in  itself  good,  bad,  or  indif- 
ferent. 

A  young  man  set  up  a  busi- 


Pebeco  has  the 
'Tunch" 

It  isn  t  one  of  chose  "lick- 
and-a-promise"  dentifrices 
that  just  clean  the  surface  of 
the  teeth  and  fool  you  into 
thinking  everythmg  is  all 
right. 

Pebeco  gers  down  to  the 
cause  of  decay,  which  in 95% 
od  cases  is  "acid-mouth." 
"Acid-mouth"  can't  remain 
if  Pebeco  is  on  the  job 

Pebeco  Tooth  Paste  does 
all  Its  work  in  the  minute  or 
two  you  take  for  brushing 
your  teeth  every  morning 
and  night 

Pebeco  cleans   the   teeth 
It  removes  tobacco  and  other 
odors.      It    refreshes   the 
mouth       It   strengthens  the 
gu ms.    It  neutralizes  the  acids 

^^^^  I  11  a  smoker  — 

^  J  Pebeco 

v'  ^-^    v^      Tooth   Paste 

makes  a  lut  with  me  be- 
cause It  keeps  my  teeth 
free  from  ugly  'brown 
spots'  and  my  mouth  free 
from  tobacco-breath  " 

Pebeco  is  the  100%  denti- 
frice. In  extra-large  tubes, 
at  all  dealers. 

Ten  days'  supply  and  acid 
test  papers  to  test  your  mouth 
for  acid  and  prove  the  value 
of  Pebeco — Sent  Free. 

LEHN  &   FINK 

1  and  3  St.  Helen  Street  Montreal 


%3t 


Vigorous,  colloquial  copy  in 
small  newspaper  space 


Distinctiveness  has  been  sought  at  the  expense  of  economy  and  good 
taste.     The  space  is  wastefully  used 


164 


You  awake  in  the 
morning,  snug  and 
comfy,  right  where  you 
are. — He's  standing  by 
your  bedside,  waiting, 
friendly,  eager  to  help: 

"The  morning  tub  makes  win- 
ning men,  there's  time  to  get  it, 
says  Big  Ben." 

Distinctive  copy  that  has  also  the 


Made  inZaSalle, 
Illinois,  byWestclax 


A  clean-cut  shave  makes  keen 
edged  men,  let's  lather  well,  says 
Big  Ben." 

"A  shorty  brisk  vjalk  puts  blood 
in  men — let's  walk  partways,  says 
Big  Ben." 

You  try  k  once,  you  try  it  twice — best 
thing  you  know — good  old  Big  Ben ! 

He's  punctual,  he's  loyal,  he's  big  all  over  and  good  all  throogh. 
Calls  two  ways— five  minutes  straieht  or  every  other  half  minut« 
during  ten  tninutes.  $2.50  anywhere  in  the  States,  53.00  anj^ 
where  in  Canada-  ** Madt  In  La  SalU^  Uiinait,  by  iVuului' 

quality  of  economy 


165 


l66  ADVERTISING  COPY 

ness  of  selling  bonds  in  a  conservative  New  England  city  of 
about  one  hundred  thousand  population  and  began  to  adver- 
tise his  wares  in  the  newspapers.  He  adopted  a  conversa- 
tional style  of  copy  that  aimed  first  of  all  to  create  comment. 
His  announcements  read  somewhat  as  follows :  "  I  am  only 
26  years  old,  but  have  been  selling  bonds  for  ^^  years,  etc." 
The  copy  caused  plenty  of  comment  but  it  did  not  create  sales, 
for  the  obvious  reason  that  he  had  sacrificed  everything  else 
for  the  sake  of  distinctiveness.  People  who  had  money  to 
invest  in  bonds  were  not  led  to  feel  confidence  in  him. 

Another  instance  of  the  sacrifice  of  clearness  for  the  sake 
of  distinctiveness  is  found  in  the  advertisement  of  a  patent 
flooring.  One  sentence  read :  "  Your  judgment  shall  pre- 
vail, but  we  are  inclined  to  believe  that  at  least  one  room  will 
multiply  its  egotism  because  of  a  handsome,  wood  mosaic 
floor  this  spring."  Straining  of  this  kind  is  always  fatal  to 
the  more  important  purpose  of  economy.  Distinctiveness  is 
not  synonymous  with  cheap  cleverness.  Any  attempt  to 
"  show  ofT  "  is  likely  to  result  fatally. 

Since  distinctiveness  is  so  closely  synonymous  with  in- 
dividuality, no  general  principles  can  be  laid  down  for  securing 
this  quality.  Sometimes  it  is  secured  by  some  new  method  of 
illustration,  as  the  use  of  shadow  pictures  by  the  Community 
Silver  Company  some  years  ago ;  sometimes  by  a  different 
method  of  appeal,  such  as  the  dramatic  or  story  form.  It  may 
be  simply  by  vigorous,  forceful  sentence  structure  or  by  pic- 
turesque or  slangy  language,  as  in  Prince  All)crt  Tobacco. 
One  of  the  best  instances  of  distinctiveness  is  in  the  adver- 
tising copy  of  the  "  Big  Ben  "  clock,  where  the  article  is  per- 
sonified and  surrounded  with  an  atmosphere  of  cheerfulness 
and  wide-awakeness.  The  quality  of  distinctiveness  will  be 
referred  to  again,  but  it  must  l)e  emphasized  here  that  economy 
is  a  much  more  important  matter  and  that  it  muL,t  not  be 
sacrificed  in  the  attempt  to  gain  distinctiveness. 


CHAPTER  XV 

STRUCTURAL  PRINCIPLES  OF  ADVERTISING 

COPY 

The  Functions  of  an  Advertisement 

In  securing  the  economy  of  attention  which  is  so  important 
a  quaHty  of  advertising  copy  there  are  certain  structural  prin- 
ciples that  need  to  be  observed.  Before  these  can  be  taken  up 
intelligently,  however,  we  must  have  a  common  understand- 
ing of  the  functions  of  an  advertisement.  These  have  been 
touched  upon  in  the  section  on  psychological  factors  but  it  is 
well  to  review  them  from  the  standpoint  of  the  copy-writer. 

It  is  frequently  said  that  an  advertisement  is  to  be  seen, 
read,  and  believed.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  its  ultimate  pur- 
pose is  to  influence  the  reader  to  buy,  this  definition  of  its 
functions  seems  inadequate.  It  is  safer  to  consider  it  as  a 
sales  appeal  —  more  or  less  complete  —  and  to  say  that  it 
should  attract,  arouse  desire  and  confidence,  and  stimulate 
action. 

I.  Attraction 

Attraction  means  first  of  all  getting  the  reader's  attention 
away  from  other  messages  —  the  reading  columns  or  other 
advertisements  —  and  directing  it  to  our  message.  The  dis- 
play of  the  advertisement  often  does  this  in  part  —  and  in  fact 
must  usually  be  relied  upon  to  do  it  in  large  part.  In  the 
chapters  on  psychology  and  display  many  mechanical  means 
of  getting  attention  are  discussed. 

But  it  is  not  enough  to  attract  the  reader's  attention  to  the 
advertisement.     He  must  be  attracted  to  the  substance  of  the 

167 


l68  ADVERTISING  COPY 

message  —  to  the  article  advertised.  This  is  a  task  for  the 
copy,  either  as  a  part  of  the  display  in  the  form  of  a  head- 
line, or  as  a  part  of  the  text  pure  and  simple.  A  point  of  con- 
tact must  be  made  between  the  reader  and  the  article  advertised. 
An  advertisement  headed  "  Be  a  Wise  Woman;  Guard  Your 
Purse  "  might  conceivably  attract  readers,  but  if  the  message 
had  to  do  with  corsets,  the  attraction  could  not  easily  be  re- 
lated to  it.  It  does  not  have  so  close  a  connection  with  the 
subject  of  corsets  as  with  a  dozen  other  subjects,  such  as  wrist 
bags  and  savings  banks.  *'  The  New  Silhouette,'"  on  the 
other  hand,  might  easily  be  related  to  a  message  about  corsets. 
Attraction  must  be  to  the  article  advertised.  In  most  cases, 
a  weak  attraction  that  is  relevant  should  be  preferred  to  a 
strong  attraction  that  is  irrelevant. 

2.  Arousing  Desire 

When  we  speak  of  desire  we  mean  the  desire  to  possess  the 
article  advertised.  The  motive  may  be  purely  intellectual,  or 
it  may  be  wholly  or  partly  emotional.  If  the  article  is  a 
cash  register,  it  will  be  desired  as  an  aid  to  the  more  efficient 
and  economical  handling  of  business;  if  a  talking  machine,  it 
will  be  desired  as  an  added  enjoyment  of  life.  The  broad 
distinction  between  intellectual  and  emotional  desires  leads  us 
to  classify  advertisements  as  reason- why  and  human  interest, 
and  as  such  they  will  later  be  discussed  separately.  For  pres- 
ent purposes  it  is  enough  to  say  that  the  possible  buyer  should 
be  made  to  zcont  the  article. 

This  usually  involves  the  selection  and  presentation  of  "  talk- 
ing-points," that  is  to  say.  the  distinctive  points  of  superiority 
of  an  article.  These  include  low  first  cost,  economy  in  use, 
greater  beautv  or  style,  greater  safety  or  comfort,  and  an  in- 
finite number  of  others.  They  can  usually  be  determined  only 
after  a  careful  analysis  of  the  market  and  comparison  with 
competing  products.     One  of  the  most  essential  factors  in  the 


PRINCIPLES  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  169 

merchandizing  plan  is  the  choice  of  talking-points,  as  was 
pointed  out  in  the  earlier  sections  of  this  book.  When  these 
"  talking-points  "  have  been  selected  they  must  be  so  presented 
that  the  reader  will  recognize  the  distinctive  superiority  of  the 
article  and  want  it. 

3.  Creating  Confidence 

Even  this  is  not  enough.  The  reader  must  feel  not  only 
that  he  wants  the  article,  but  that  he  should  have  it.  He  must 
have  confidence  that  it  is  as  represented  and  that  its  purchase 
would  be  wise.  In  the  whole  campaign  this  may  sometimes 
be  accomplished  by  the  simple  repetition  of  a  claim.  In  the 
individual  appeal  it  is  largely  a  question  of  proof  by  means  of 
evidence. 

4.  Stimulating  Action 

The  last  function  is  to  make  the  reader  buy  or  at  least  to 
influence  him  toward  buying  so  that  the  sale  can  be  made  later, 
when  circumstances  are  favorable.  The  other  three  functions, 
it  is  true,  lead  in  this  direction,  but  some  additional  stimulus  is 
usually  necessary  to  crystallize  desire  and  confidence  into  ac- 
tion. 

This  stimulus  may  be  in  the  form  of  a  direct  command : 
"  Take  home  a  box  today,"  "  Ask  your  grocer,"  "  Look  for 
the  trade-mark,"  etc.  Or  it  may  simply  be  a  way  of  making 
action  easy,  as  by  giving  a  list  of  dealers  or  attaching  a  coupon. 
A  third  form  of  stimulus  is  the  use  of  an  inducement,  such  as 
a  booklet,  a  statement  that  the  ofYer  is  for  a  limited  time  only, 
or  the  like.     The  three  methods  are  often  employed  together. 

The  advertisement  on  page  171  will  illustrate  all  four  func- 
tions of  a  sales  appeal. 

Here  our  attention  is  attracted  by  the  picture  of  a  hand- 
some library  table,  and  by  the  question,  "  Will  you  drive  six 
screws  to  save  $13.25?"     The  universal  instinct  for  saving 


170  ADVERTISING  COPY 

prompts  us  to  read  further.  Our  desire  is  aroused  by  the 
picture  and  the  description,  and  by  the  opportunity  for  sav- 
ing. Indeed,  the  very  things  that  attract  us  make  a  beginning 
in  arousing  our  desire.  Confidence  is  created  by  explaining 
the  reason  for  the  saving  and  by  offering  money  back  to  any 
^vho  may  be  dissatisfied.  Last  we  have  a  stimulus  to  action 
in  the  form  of  a  free  book  and  full  directions  for  re(juesting  it. 

Although  the  complete  sales  appeal  performs  all  these  func- 
tions, the  individual  advertisement  does  not  always  attempt 
them.  The  mail  order  or  inquiry-getting  advertisement  does, 
but  in  most  general  advertising  the  task  is  distributed  over  a 
number  of  pieces  of  copy,  each  one  of  which  has  to  do  only 
that  part  of  the  work  that  it  can  do  efficiently. 

Publicity  campaigns  often  contain  "  teasers  '' —  advertise- 
ments that  arouse  curiosity  in  an  unnamed  and  undescribed 
article.  Again,  advertisements  are  often  merely  reminders, 
such  as  "Use  Sapolio,"  "Drink  White  Rock,"  "Wilson's  — 
that's  all."  In  some  campaigns  whole  series  of  advertisements 
are  devoted  to  showing  new  uses  or  new  recipes  for  an  article, 
so  as  to  increase  desire  for  it.  Other  series  simply  pile  proof 
upon  proof  to  increase  confidence. 

It  may  fairly  be  said,  however,  that  considering  the  limita- 
tions of  space  and  the  demands  on  a  reader's  time,  the  nearer 
an  advertisement  can  come  to  giving  a  complete  sales  appeal 
the  more  efficient  it  is.  The  following  principles  of  construc- 
tion will  therefore  be  applied  mainly  to  advertisements  which 
attempt  to  perform  all  four  functions :  attracting,  arousing  de- 
sire and  confidence,  and  stimulating  action.  Their  applica- 
tion to  advertisements  which  perform  only  part  of  this  work 
is  a  simple  matter. 

Principles  —  i.  Unity 

The  first  principle  of  construction  is  Unity  or  concentration. 
It  demands  that  nothing  shall  be  placed  in  the  advertisement 


/  ,fl^HC 


/ 1 J  \> 


Will  You  Drive  Six  Screws 

To  Save  $13.25? 

It  takes  six  minutes  to  drive  these  six 
screws.     Now,  if  your  time  is  worth  more  than 
$2.21  a  minute,  don't  read  any  further.    This 
advertisement  is  for  thos?  who  want  high  grade 
furniture  at  rock  bottom 
prices,  who  lore  beau- 
tiful things  in  the  home, 
who    appreciate  choice 
designs,   know  solid 
worth,  and  approve  of 
a  selling  plan  that  saves 
them  fully  one-half  store 
prices. 

COME-PACKTSec 
tional  Furniture  is 
such  furniture.  Take 
this  table,  for  example. 
It  is  Quarter  SawnWhite 
Oak, with  rich,  deep  nat- 
ural markings,  honestly 
made.  Can  be  beauti- 
fully finished  in  your 
choice  of  eight  finishes 
at  actual  costof  finishing. 
Measure  out  its  dimen- 
sions with  a  tape  meas- 
ure— compare  it  with  an/ 
piece  equally  -good,  at 
any  dealer's.  It  saves 
you  more  than  one-half. 

How!  By  coming:  to  you  in  five  sections, 

packed  in  a  compact  crate,  shipped  at  knock- 
down rates.  Come-packt  keeps  no  men  on  the 
road,  has  no  stores,  no  dealers.     You  save  all 
these  big  savings — freight,  traveling  men's  and 
dealers'  expenses  and  profits — a 
total  of  one-half  or  more.    With 
a  screw  driTer  and  six  roinates, 
you  buy  a  $25  table  for  $11.75.  - 

COME-PACKT    FURNITURE   CO.,  107  Fernwood  Avenue,  TOLEDO.  O, 


300  Library  TaDie 
Dealer's  price,  $25.00  (P''i  "i    r^CT 

Come-packt  price  .  .  .  .  «pA-l»  I O 

Height.  30  inches;    top,  44x28  inches;    iezt  2H  Inchet  square. 

Two  drawers,  choice  of  Old   Brass  or  Wood  Drawer  Knobs. 

ShipptDC  weight.  ISO  lbs. 

Sold  on  a  Year's  Trial.     Money  Back  Any  Time. 

Honest  furniture  and  an  honest  selling  plan, 
as  thousands  have  proved.  Our  free  catalog 
— the  most  beautiful  furniture  book  ever  given 
away — tells  all  the  details,  gives  you  a  choice 
of  more  than  400  pieces,  and  color  plates 
show  the  exqtiisite  finish  and  upholster- 


Write  for  thia  beautiful  bis  book  to- 
ddy.    Mailed  free. 


Complete  sales  appeal 


171 


172  ADVERTISING  COPY 

that  does  not  contribute  to  its  one  central  message.  This 
principle  holds  good  for  the  display  as  well  as  the  copy.  In 
the  text  it  means  that  one  central  idea  shall  be  impressed. 
Others  may  be  brought  in  but  they  should  be  few  and  should 
be  subordinated  to  the  important  main  idea. 

One  of  the  commonest  violations  of  this  principle  —  and 
one  of  the  weakest  forms  of  advertising  —  is  catalogue  copy. 
This  is  not  the  kind  of  copy  used  in  catalogues,  but  the  kind 
that  attempts  to  mention  every  good  quality  of  the  article  and 
impress  them  upon  the  reader.  The  result  is  that  none  is  im- 
pressed. *'  Bon  Ton  corseis  are  the  most  perfect-titling,  hy- 
gienic, fashionable,  and  highest  grade  corsets  in  the  world," 
claims  the  manufacturer.  Which  of  these  qualities  is  most 
important?  That  one  should  have  been  chosen  and  the  copy 
concentrated  on  it.  Even  if  they  seem  equally  important,  each 
piece  of  copy  should  have  been  built  around  one  of  them. 

A  manufacturer  of  silk  gloves  devoted  not  merely  one  piece 
of  copy  Imt  a  whole  season's  copy  to  a  single  important  talk- 
ing-point, the  fact  that  his  gloves  had  double-tips  and  there- 
fore the  ends  of  the  fingers  would  last  as  long  as  the  rest  of 
the  gloves.  The  following  season  he  concentrated  upon  the 
guarantee  that  was  placed  on  each  pair,  and  merely  mentioned 
the  double-tips.  Another  season  he  concentrated  upon  the 
stimulus :  "  Look  for  the  trade-mark  embroidered  in  the 
hem."  This  is  an  extreme  instance  of  the  application  of  the 
principle  of  unity,  but  its  success  goes  far  toward  its  justifi- 
cation. 

Further  proof  of  the  inferiority  of  "catalogue  copy"  may 
be  found  by  comparison  of  the  two  following  pieces  of  copy : 

The  Dominant  .Six  —  The  greatest  piece  of  machinery 
that  ever  went  upon  the  hie^hways  and  the  most  hixurious 
carriage.  Fastest  get  away ;  smoothest  starting  and  stop- 
ping; power  without  noise;  best  hill  climber;  easiest  car  to 
drive;  safest  investtnent.  .  .  . 


PRINCIPLES  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  1/3 

Why  is  your  family  safest  in  a  Packard? 

Why  is  a  Packard  at  its  best  after  thousands  of  miles  of 
hard  usage  on  the  road? 

Why  will  a  Packard  run  so  long  without  mechanical  culti- 
vation ?....,  etc. 

Because  Endurance  far  exceeding  requirements  is  the  stand- 
ard to  which  every  Packard  is  built. 

The  first  of  these  pieces  of  copy  makes  no  clear-cut  impres- 
sion on  the  reader.  It  simply  gives  him  a  vague  mass  of  claims 
that  could  just  as  well  be  made  by  any  other  automobile  ad- 
vertiser. The  second  piece  of  copy  impresses  one  distinctive 
message  that  may  lead  the  reader  to  "  Ask  the  man  who  owns 
one." 

Frequently  the  article  has  one  distinctive  point  of  superiority 
over  its  competitors.  In  this  case  the  problem  of  unity  is 
simply  a  matter  of  concentrating  on  this  one  point.  Thus 
Pebeco  tooth  paste  continually  hammers  in  the  fact  that  it 
"  neutralizes  acid-mouth  "  and  merely  mentions  that  it  has 
other  qualities  a  dentifrice  should  have.  Valspar  varnish  con- 
centrates on  the  fact  that  water,  even  when  boiling,  won't 
make  it  turn  white. 

In  this  connection  it  should  be  remembered  that  once  an 
advertiser  has  sufinciently  driven  home  his  great  distinctive 
talking-point,  he  can  concentrate  upon  a  point  that  was  origin- 
allx  a  minor  point,  and  simply  remind  readers  of  the  big  one 
by  putting  it  in  the  form  of  a  slogan.  Ivory  Soap  formerly 
impressed  people  with  the  fact  that  it  floated  and  was  pure. 
More  recently  each  piece  of  copy  has  concentrated  upon  some 
one  use  for  Ivory  Soap,  as  in  washing  laces,  washing  furni- 
ture and  woodwork,  washing  statuary,  or  the  like.  The 
original  talking-points  alternate  as  slogans:  "  Ivory  Soap  — 
it  floats  ";  "  Ivory  Soap  —  gq^'^Uo^c  pure." 

Unity  not  only  requires  concentration  on  one  talking-point. 
It  requires  approach  to  the  reader  from  one  angle  at  a  time. 


174  ADVERTISING  COPY 

This  demand  is  violated  in  the  advertisement  for  Hygienic 
Kalsomine,  which  begins : 

Its  sanitary  feature  kills  every  germ-like  creature.     It  beau- 
tifies the  home. 

The  two  appeals  are  incongruous,  and  do  not  help  each  other. 
One  must  be  subordinated  before  the  advertisement  can  be  an 
effective  unit. 

Again  the  point  of  contact  with  the  reader  must  not  be  too 
far  from  the  article  or  there  can  be  no  unity.  When  some 
great  event,  such  as  a  war,  occurs,  it  is  a  temptation  to  begin 
the  advertisement  with  some  reference  to  it  on  the  ground  that 
it  will  probably  attract  attention.  But  it  usually  proves  a 
strain  to  relate  this  beginning  to  the  real  subject  of  the  mes- 
sage —  if  there  is  no  natural  relation  between  the  war  and  the 
article  advertised.  The  advertisement  on  page  175  illustrates 
lack  of  unity  through  the  introduction  of  ideas  that  are  only 
distantly  related  to  the  subject. 

There  is  another  side  to  the  principle  of  unity.  It  demands 
that  everything  be  included  that  is  essential  to  the  impressing  of 
the  main  idea.  This  means  that  vague,  unsupported  claims  are 
not  enough.  They  should  be  backed  by  concrete  instances 
or  tangible  proofs.  It  means  that  if  the  main  idea  would 
arouse  suspicion,  that  suspicion  should  be  allayed.  Thus  when 
the  Mark  Cross  razor  was  announced  as  a  $5  razor  at  the  in- 
troductory price  of  25  cents,  there  had  to  be  a  guarantee  of 
quality  and  a  promise  of  "money  back  if  dissatisfied,"  before 
the  appeal  could  be  complete. 

The  danger  of  saying  too  little  is  small.  The  writer's  chief 
concern  in  observing  the  principle  of  unity  is  to  have  one  main 
idea  and  concentrate  upon  it.  Whether  it  is  a  single  mail- 
order advertisement,  or  one  of  a  long  series  of  general  adver- 
tisements ;  whether  it  contains  a  complete  sales  appeal  or  only 
one  of  the  functions,  it  should  have  one  clear-cut  message. 


Violation  of  unity  through  use  of  ideas  not  closely  related  to  the  subject 

175 


176 


ADVERTISING  COPY 


The  Come-Packt  advertisement  on  page  171  is  a  good  illus- 
tration of  unity.  The  examples  on  pages  176  and  177  also 
illustrate  the  right  application  of  this  principle. 


Th 


ats  the 
button 


Whi: 


h  you  ■will 

always   find    on    the    genuine 

Fownes  gloves,  except  our  white 

dress  gloves,  with  pearl  buttons, 

which  may  be  identified  by  the  name 

Fownes  in  the  wrist. 

R^wneS 

'GloveS^ 

are  always  sold   under  their  own 
name.     Whether  the  words  on  the 

rI:>or-.  are.  TOWNES  „^  FOWNES FOWNSS      .1 

c;asp  are   make,  or  londok,  or  own  make  the 
famous  "paring  knife"  trade-mark  and 
the  word  Fownes  in  the  wrist  are  assur- 
ance of  glove  value,  the  world  over 

Try  a  pair  of  our  heavy  two  dollar  street  slovej  for  Fall  wear.     If 

not  familiar  with  Fownes  quality,  you  will  be  surprised  at  the  en 

and  economy  o(  these  gloves  and  pleased  with  their  fit,  comfort  and  styl. 

If  you  have  difficulty  securing  the  genuine 

Fownes,  write  us.  giving  the  names  of  the  shops 

visited,  and  we  will  see  that  you  are  supplied 

FOWNES  BROTHERS  &  CO 

119  West  AUth  St.,  New  York 


Unified  in  copy  and  unusual  in  display 


2.  Coherence 

The  second  great  principle  of  construction  is  that  of  Co- 
herence. It  demands  that  the  material  he  so  arranged  and  con- 
nected that  the  reader  may  progress  logically  from  beginning 
to  end  without  serious  tax  upon  his  attention.  There  must  be 
no  serious  breaks  or  gaps  in  the  message.  Coherence  in\'olves 
three  things :  logical  order,  right  construction,  close  connec- 
tion. 


Which  Will  You  Keep? 

"Acid-Mouth"  or  Sound  Teeth? 

^V/OU  can't  have  both  **  acid -mouth'*   and 
^  sound  teeth.     They  don't  go  together. 

**Acid-mouth'*  gradually  but  surely ^ats  away 
the  enamel  and  lets  decay  strike  into  the  soft 
interior  of  the  tooth.  In  time  you  won't  have 
a  sound  tooth  left — unless  you  remove  the  cause 
of  the  trouble. 

"fhe  sure  way  to  counteract  "acid-mouth"  is  by  the  regular  daily  u»e  of 

pcBeco 

TOOTH  PASTE 


Pebeco  is  the  scientific 
dentifrice  designed  to  neu- 
tralize the  mouth -acids 
formed  by  food -ferment. 
By  doing  this  it  removes 
what  authorities  claim  is 
the  chief  cause  of  tooth- 
decay. 

Pebeco  also  cleans  and 
v^hitens  the  teeth, 
purifies  the  mouth, 
drives  out  bad  odors 
and  tastes,and  leaves 
a  feeling  of  clean 
freshness  that  noth- 
ing else  can  equal. 
The  delightful  tin- 
gle of  its  taste  is  a 
revelation. 

You   are   invited 


U*e  ^  of  Bnuhful 


to  find  out  whether  you 
have  **acid-mouth,"  as  9 
out  of  10  people  are  said 
to  have.  If  you  have 
"acid-mouth,"  Pebeco  is 
a  necessity 

Send  for  Free  Ten-Day  Trial  Tube 
of  Pebeco  and  Acid  Tett  Papers 

The  Test  Papers  will 
show  you  whether  you 
too  have  "acid-mouth" 
and  how  Pebeco  counter- 
acts It 

Pebpco  orieiDated  in  the  hyju- 
mic  laboratonesol  P  Beiers^orf 
&  Co  .  Hamburg.  Germany,  and 
is  sold  everywhere  in  extralaree 
size  tubes  As  only  one  third  o(  a 
brushful  isusedat  a  time  Pebeco 
saves  moneT  as  well  as.lceih. 

LEHN  &  FINK 

Manutactiirinif  Chemists 
120  William  Street.  New  York 

PrMdutm  if  hihn  fir  Fini'i  Rivtrit  Taicum 


Well-unified  copy  containini?  a  complete  sales  appeal 
177 


1/8  ADVERTISING  COPY 

The  order  in  a  piece  of  copy  is  often  that  of  the  sales  func- 
tions. The  early  part  attracts ;  the  middle  arouses  desire  and 
confidence;  the  ending  stimulates.  Sometimes,  however,  this 
order  is  changed  for  good  reason.  And  in  the  ad\'ertisement 
that  does  not  attempt  to  perform  all  the  sales  functions  another 
order  must  be  used.  The  commonest  are  the  narrative,  the 
descriptive  and  the  climactic. 

The  narrative  order  takes  facts  in  the  order  of  their  happen- 
ing. An  article  may  be  shown  to  be  good  by  giving  the  his- 
tory of  inventions  leading  up  to  it,  or  the  history  of  the  com- 
pany itself.  It  may  give  in  order  the  processes  of  making  it 
or  the  steps  taken  in  using  it.  It  closely  resembles  the 
process  of  induction  considered  in  the  next  chapter. 

The  descriptive  order  gives  the  main  point  which  sums  up 
the  distinctive  qualities  of  the  article  and  follows  this  with 
the  details  that  support  the  main  assertion.  It  corresponds 
closely  with  the  deductive  method  explained  in  the  next  chapter. 

The  climactic  order  simply  takes  the  various  ideas  and  ar- 
ranges them  in  order  of  their  importance.  Often  we  have 
a  series  of  questions,  to  be  answered  by  one  main  statement; 
or  a  series  of  reasons  for  a  statement  already  made.  The 
climactic  order  is  useful  here. 

Whatever  the  order  chosen,  it  must  be  maintained  through- 
out. There  can  be  no  haphazard  drifting  and  shifting  from 
one  idea  to  another.  In  the  advertisement  "  A  Giant  is  Awak- 
ing "  (page  i8o)  we  have  a  metaphorical  statement  that  ap- 
peals to  our  imagination,  followed  by  a  collection  of  dry-as- 
dust  figures  and  then  another  passage  of  inspiration.  The 
mind  cannot  adjust  to  these  changes  readily.  The  order  would 
be  improved  by  putting  the  statistics  down  tow^ard  the  end 
of  the  text. 

Coherence  is  further  aided  by  keeping  one  point  of  view  and 
one  form  of  construction.  The  mind  w'orks  according  to  habit 
and  after  it  has  moved  once  or  twice  in  a  certain  groove,  it 


The  Winged  Message 


Noah's  messenger  was  a  dove.  In 
Solomon's  time,  pigeons  were  trained 
to  carry  messages.  Brutus  used  them 
at  the  siege  of  Modena.  They  served 
the  Turks  in  their  fights  against  the 
Crusaders.  In  mediaeval  wars  they 
were  more  useful  than  ever  before. 

France  had  a  carrier-pigeon  mail 
service,  with  messages  reduced  by 
photography  and  read  througli  a 
microscope. 

Even  today  carrier  pigeons  are 
utiUzed  as  news-bearers  in  isolated 
parts  of  Europe. 


In  America,  the  land  of  the  tele- 
phone, the  carrier  pigeon  is  bred  only 
for  racing.  The  winged  word  has 
taken  the  place  of  the  winged  mes- 
senger. 

Pigeons  may  fly  more  than  a  mile 
a  minute,  but  the  telephone  is  as 
quick  as  speech  itself. 

The  dove  is  the  emblem  of  peace.- 
The  telephone  is  the  instrument  of 
peace.  The  telephone  lines  of  the 
Bell  System  unite  a  hundred  million 
people  in  one  national  family. 


American  Telephone  and  Telegraph  Company 
And  Associated   Companies 

One  Policy  One  System  Universal  Service 

Publicity  copy  of  distinctive  kind  illustrating  the  use  of  the  narrative 

order 


179 


M      O      N      T       A      N      A 


/ 


MASSACHUSETTS 


^\J^ 


A  Giant  is 
Awaking 


MastachoMtt*,  8266  square  miles,  population, 
3.336.416.  Estimated  propeny  value.  $4,956,578,913 

Montana,  146.080  tquare  miles,  population, 
376,053.     Estimated  property  value,  $746,311,213. 

Why  has  Massachusetts  this  advantage? 

Because  population  makes  land  values 

From  1900  to  1910  the  population  of  the  United  States  increased  21  per  cent.  The  population 
of  the  Great  Northwest,  induding  North  and  South  Dakota,  Montana,  Wyoming,  Idaho, 
Washington  and  Oregon,  jumped  71  per  cent.^  It  is  the  fastest  growing  section  of  the  entire 
United  States.  Why?  Because  here  is  everything  that  makes  for  solid,  substantial  wealth— 
timber,  mineral*,  water  power,-  irrigable  lands,  atock  ninng,  untttrpateed  farming 
facilitie*  and  three  transcontinental  railroad*. 

Settlers  are  now  flowing  into  this  Northwest  country  in  thousands.  Cities  are  springing 
upas  by  magic  With  the  opening  of  the  Panama  Canal,  Northwest  populations  wilt  increase 
in  leaps  and  bounds.  We  have  seen  this  time  coming  for  several  years.  We  have  bought 
outright  the  choicest  building  lots  ia  the  most  vigorous  and  logical  of  Northwest  young  cities. 

Here  is  the  Northwest  Townsite  proposition  to  you  : 

We  ere  offering  buiMing  lots  in  five  of  these  cities,  located  in  three  different  states,  on  the 
most  practical  real  estate  investment  plan  ever  devised.  Maybe  all,  possibly  two  or  three,  al 
trail  oHe,  of  th^se  five  cities  is  destined  to  develop  into  a  Denver,  a  Seattle,  a  Portland,  Ore. 
These  are  the  five  cities  in  this  offer:  Bend,  Ore.;  Roundup,  Mont  ;  Redmond,  Ore.; 
Vale,  Ore.;  Lemmon,  on  the  border  line  between  South  and  North  Dakota. 

in  mach  of  thmmm  citimt  w*  havm  at  pretent  170  bailJia*  lota.  Wm  witt  amtl—firtt  com*. 
firtt  aervmtt—onm  lot  in  »aeh  of  thmao  fivt  eitiet  in  thcMo  throm  atatea  for  $500 — $500 
for  the  ontirm  fivm  lota — payabtm  in  inataitmenta  and  frmm  from  taxma  untU  paid  for. 
Sboold  the  porcbaMr  die  brfore  tht  whole  snin  Is  p2id.*butaft«j  partne  S350.  we  will  deliver  deedj  to  all 
£ve  lots  to  bis  01  bei  heirs  or  assisQS  trtt  trbmlunher  parmeots. 

S  lots  in  5  cities  in  3  states,  $500 

Id  coodderioc  thU  opportnoitr.  remembfr  the  historirsot  Denver.  Spoka'nr 
ftontter  towns,  now  they  siaod  for  millioot  on  milliont  of  dolUn.  Th> 
Yoa  ahouta  rtad  thm  fact*-      Fill  ia  the  coupon  below  or  write  us 


troeTatloQ.     Doo't   wa: 


Seittle.  Ponlaod,  Omaha.  They  ' 
r  fact*  about  this  land  arc  4 
a  penooal  lettfr  (or  tult  paniculars. 


The  Northwest  Townsite  Co.,  320  Chestnut  St.^  Philadelphia,  I'a. 


Incoherent  copy 


i8o 


PRINCIPLES  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  lOl 

moves  more  easily  in  that  groove  than  in  some  other.  A 
question  followed  by  another  question  is  more  coherent  than 
a  question  followed  by  an  assertion.  It  is  for  the  sake  of  co- 
herence that  we  find  so  many  advertisements  that  contain  only 
a  string  of  "  Becauses."  Too  many  sentences  and  paragraphs 
of  the  same  construction  become  monotonous  and  therefore 
ineffective;  three  or  four  can  be  safely  used. 

So  great  similarity  of  construction  is  not  essential.  It  is 
advisable,  however,  to  keep  the  same  subject  throughout.  If 
"  you  "  (the  reader)  is  the  subject  at  the  start,  "  you  "  should 
remain  the  subject  until  the  end.  Similarly  an  advertisement 
that  begins  in  the  first  person  should  keep  the  first  person  until 
there  is  some  logical  reason  for  a  change. 

The  final  aid  to  coherence  is  the  use  of  good  connectives. 
Even  when  ideas  are  arranged  in  logical  order  and  constructed 
similarly  there  is  need  of  connectives  to  bridge  the  small  gaps 
between  them.     These  connectives  are  of  four  kinds: 

1.  Numerical;  as  first,  second,  etc.  This  type  is  sometimes 
useful,  but  has  a  mechanical  effect  and  deadens  interest. 

2.  Conjunctives;  as  and,  but,  however,  nevertheless,  etc. 
These  are  most  commonly  used.  The  looser  conjunctions,  and 
and  but,  should  be  avoided  as  far  as  possible  and  more  exact 
connectives  employed  in  their  stead. 

3.  Demonstratives ;  as  tliis  and  that. 

4.  Repetitions  of  words.  This  last  method  should  be  more 
widely  used.  It  is  least  mechanical  and  most  emphatic.  The 
following  example  illustrates  its  effectiveness : 

The  story  of  every  child  is  a  story  of  growth  and  change  — 
A  change  too  gradual  and  subtle  for  even  the  watchful  eye  of 

a  mother  to  detect,  or  for  memory  to  recall. 
Only  in  pictures  can  the  story  be  told,  and  a  record  of  the 

childish  features  and  expressions  kept  for  all  time. 
A  good  photograph  now  and  then,  will  mean  everything  to 

you  —  and  to  your  children,  in  after  years. 


Can  you  afford  it? 


/^AN  you  afford  to  spend  time 
^^  and  energy  on  home-made 
soup  when  you  can  buy  Campbell's? 

Can  you  afford  to  have  the 
maid  fuss  and  simmer  and  stew 
over  it  and  nurse  a  chronic  grouch? 

Can  you  afford  delay  or  uncer- 
tamty  at  the  dinner  hour;  when 
you  might  be  sure  of  the  right 
sDup  rightly  made  and  right  on 
the  minute?  If  you  can  afford  to 
keep  house  without  Campbell's 
Soups,  you  must  be  mighty  rich 
in  time  and  patience. 


B«t 
Bouillon 
Cclei^ 
Chickn 


Clam  Chowdtt 
Cooaofnnit 
Julienne 
Mock  Turtle 
Mulligatawny 


Chicken-GumDo       Munoo  Broth 
(Okra)    Oi  Tail 

Clam  Bouillon 


Peppei  f  ot 

Pri'ntaaict 

Tomato 

Tomato-Okia 

Vegetable 

Vcnnict1U-Tom«i» 


21  kinds  lOc  *  c*a 


^ionfiML  Soups 


Look  for  th«  red-and-white  label 


Coherence  through  the  use  of  parallelism.     Seriously  weakened  by  border 

182 


PRINCIPLES  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY 


183 


3.  Emphasis 

The  final  constructive  principle  is  that  of  emphasis.  It 
demands  that  the  most  important  ideas  be  given  greatest  prom- 
inence. In  advertising,  this  commonly  results  in  the  use  of 
display  type  or  other  mechanical  means  to  make  the  important 


CLOSED 
CARS 


BROUGHAMS 

LIMOUSINES 

LANDAULETS 

Four  or  Sl:<  Cyllndem 

TWrty.  Forty    or  Fifty  Horsepower 


YOint  CLOSED  CAH  is  an 
intimate  index  to  your  char- 
acter— it  expresses  to  your 
friends  and  business  associates 
your  tastes  and  tendenciee. 

rr  IS  IMPORTANT  therefore 
that  you  make  a  wise  selection — 
far  more  important  than  is  your 
choice  of  a  touring  car 

THE  LATTER  corresponds  to 
your  business  dress — you  select  it 
according  to  the  work  you  have 
to  do  with  it. 

THE  DUTY  THAT  your  closed 
car  does  is  predetermined  and  it 
must  be  perfectly  "groomed" — 
Uecs,  color  and  finish  harmonious. 

EACH  GARFORD  CAR  is  a  de- 

Hght  to  the  eye  in  line  and  color 
harmony.  Its  reputation  is  built 
on  its  service.  Its  comfort  and 
elegance  anyone  who  enters  it  will 
instantly  appreciate.  You  can 
afford  to  own  no  other. 


m'^'^ 


>d««y  «c  6rd  St. 
BrooHyn: 
Fultoa  St.  &  Bedford  Av«. 

Boston:    91s  Boylit 


^»^>ife,.«r..«.><to...--»Ka^,^...<;>.*ia.<»«X,i..a.^.»../..   ..7I7^,''^,ik^.,fr^^^li:  ':'^;^i\ 


Uneniphatic  copy 


ideas  stand  out  boldly.  Even  single  words  are  put  in  bold 
face  style  or  italics  or  are  underlined  to  emphasize  them.  But 
the  possibility  of  these  methods  of  emphasis  should  not  cause 
us  to  neglect  the  methods  that  are  part  of  the  work  of  con- 
struction. 


l84  ADVERTISING  COPY 

Three  elements  at  the  most  can  be  emphasized  by  display. 
Each  paragraph  of  the  text  —  yes,  each  sentence  —  has  its  im- 
portant idea.  Emphasis  requires  that  these  shall  be  given  most 
space  and  the  most  prominent  position  —  that  is,  the  beginning 
or  end.  So  in  the  copy  as  a  whole,  regardless  of  display,  the 
important  ideas  should  have  most  space  (measured  in  terms 
of  words,  not  merely  inches  or  agate  lines )  and  the  best  posi- 
tions. 

In  the  advertisement  for  Gar  ford  closed  cars  (page  183) 
it  will  be  noted  that  the  first  few  words  in  each  paragraph  are 
capitalized  for  the  sake  of  emphasis.  They  are  not  in  all  cases 
important  words,  however,  and  they  suffer  doubly  from  their 
position  and  display.  **  The  Latter  "  is  merely  a  connective, 
and  connectives  should  rarely  be  emphasized.  Wherever  pos- 
sible they  should  be  put  within  the  sentence.  The  end  of  the 
copy  is  weak.  It  contains  a  negative  warning,  instead  of  a 
positive  stimulus. 

It  may  safely  be  said  that  the  beginning  of  an  advertisement 
should  contain  an  idea  that  is  most  important  to  the  reader. 
That  is  one  reason  why  the  name  or  slogan  of  the  advertiser 
should  rarely  appear  there.  The  ending  may  contain  the  idea 
that  is  of  the  most  importance  to  the  advertiser  —  which  is 
usually  the  stimulus  to  action  together  with  the  advertiser's 
address. 

Proportion  is  largely  a  matter  of  judgment.  The  most 
frequent  violation  of  it  is  in  giving  undue  space  to  attacks  on 
the  advertiser's  competitors  or  other  ideas  that  are  at  best 
negative  in  value. 

To  sum  up  then,  the  copy  in  an  advertisement  should  per- 
form as  much  of  the  sales  appeal  as  is  consistent  with  the 
complete  sales  plan  and  the  nature  of  the  campaign.  It  should 
be  unified;  that  is,  concentrated  upon  one  main  idea,  with  all 
non-essentials  omitted.  It  should  be  coherent;  that  is,  ar- 
ranged in  logical  order,  and  so  constructed  and  connected  that 


I""" 'iiiirifiiflnBns 


Victor  R 

of  "Celeste  Aid 

sune  by  Cari^-  a 


Caruso 

M  Rbadamet 

io  Aida 


Both  are  Caruso 

The  Victor  Record  of  Caruso's  voice 
is  just  as  truly  Caruso  as  Caruso  him- 
self. 

It  actually  is  Caruso — his  own  mag- 
nificent voice,  with  all  the  wonderful 
power  and  beauty  of  tone  that  make 
him  the  greatest  of  all  tenors. 

Everyone  of  the  hundred  and  twenty 
Caruso  records  brings  you  not  only  his 
art,  but  his  personality.  When  you  hear 
Caruso  on  the  Victrola  in  your  own  home, 
you  hear  him  just  as  truly  as  if  you  were 
listening  to  him  in  the  Metropolitan 
Opera  House. 


4or^Ci 


The  proof  is  in  the  hearing.  Any  Victor 
dealer  in  any  city  in  the  world  will 
gladly  play  for  you  Victor  Records 
by  Caruso  or  any  other  of  the  world's 
greatest  artists.  There  are  Victors 
and  Victrolas  in  greatvarietyof  styles 
from  $10  to  $200. 


Victor  Talking  Machine  Co.,  Camden,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  A. 

Berliner  Cramoohone  Co..  Montreal.  Canadian  Distributors 


Well-unitied,  coherent,  and  emphatic  copy 
i8S 


l86  ADVERTISING  COPY 

the  reader  will  read  uninterruptedly  from  beginning  to  end. 
It  should  be  emphatic;  that  is.  the  beginning  and  end  should 
contain  the  most  important  ideas  and  all  the  ideas  should  be 
given  space  commensurate  with  their  importance. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

REASON-WHY  COPY 

The  Nature  of  Reason- Why  Copy 

The  type  of  copy  called  reason-why  copy  makes  its  main 
appeal  to  the  reason,  rather  than  to  the  senses  or  emotions. 
It  lays  its  chief  stress  upon  creating  confidence,  or  convincing, 
and  such  desire  as  it  arouses  is  largely  intellectual.  It  cor- 
responds to  the  forms  of  literary  composition  called  exposition 
and  argument ;  whereas  human-interest  copy  corresponds  more 
nearly  to  description  and  narration. 

Even  though  reason-why  copy  presents  a  logical  argument 
it  need  not  do  so  in  a  combative  way.  It  may  be  quiet  and 
persuasive.  But  it  must  always  be  logical.  Sometimes  it 
may  include  a  great  deal  of  the  human-interest  element.  In 
the  piece  of  copy  on  page  221  it  is  hard  to  tell  where  emotion 
leaves  off  and  reason  begins. 

The  distinction  between  reason-why  and  human-interest  is 
often  one  of  convenience  only. 

Uses  of  Reason-Why  Copy 

Reason-why  copy  has  a  larger  field  of  usefulness  than  hu- 
man-interest. It  is  almost  always  safe.  Competitive  condi- 
tions demand  that  the  advertiser  create  a  desire  not  merely  for 
the  type  of  product  he  sells,  but  for  his  individual  product. 
The  distinction  between  this  and  a  similar  product  is  usually 
one  that  can  be  seen  by  the  mind  only.  The  pleasures  of  rid- 
ing in  an  automobile  are  much  the  same,  no  matter  what  the 
car  is,  but  no  two  makes  of  cars  are  precisely  alike  in  their 

187 


l88  ADVERTISING  COPY 

talking-points.  Price,  quality,  power,  cost  of  np-keep,  and 
many  other  considerations  lead  to  a  man's  choice  of  a  par- 
ticular make. 

Even  in  the  case  of  articles  that  are  bought  solely  because 
of  a  sense  or  emotional  desire,  it  is  frequently  necessary  for 
reason  to  justify  the  choice  before  the  purchase  will  be  effected. 
Even  beer  has  been  advertised  on  the  reason-wdiy  basis  by  at- 
tempting to  show  its  food  value.  This  is  an  extreme  instance 
that  simply  proves  the  universal  tendency  to  reinforce  a  desire 
by  the  intellect.  (See  "  Use  of  the  Rationalization  Appeal,'" 
page  90.)  Ordinarily  such  articles  as  candy,  tobacco,  facial 
creams,  and  the  like  are  advertised  by  a  human-interest  appeal. 

The  following  classification  of  articles  indicates  those  which 
are  most  appropriately  advertised  by  reason-why  copy. 

1.  Articles  that  are  bought   for  business,  agricultural  or 

industrial  purposes;  such  as  machinery,  office  appli- 
ances, agricultural  implements,  tools,  etc. 

2.  Articles  for  building  purposes ;  such  as  roofing,  wall 

board,  lumber,  etc. 

3.  Articles  that  are  bought  not  for  their  own  sake  but  as 

accessories;  such  as  automobile  tires,  lubricants,  rub- 
ber boots  and  shoes,  etc. 

4.  Articles  in  fields  where  competition  is  keen ;  such  as 

automobiles,  safety  razors,  dentifrices,  etc. 

5.  Articles  bought  for  investment  purposes;  such  as  stocks 

and  bonds,  real  estate,  advertising  space,  etc. 

There  are  many  other  cases  in  which  reason-why  copy  may 
be  demanded  by  market  conditions  or  by  the  particular  class 
of  buyers  to  be  reached. 

The  Process  of  Deliberation 

Psychologists  call  reason-w^hy  copy  "  long-circuit  copy " 
because  it  involves  deliberation  and  choice,  which  are  functions 


REASON-WHY  COPY  189 

of  the  higher  centers  of  the  brain.     Response  to  it  is  slower 
than  to  human-interest  copy. 

Usually  reason-why  copy  involves  four  processes  which  cor- 
respond closely  to  the  functions  of  a  sales  appeal ;  the  only  dif- 
ference, in  fact,  is  that  all  of  them  are  mental  processes.  They 
are  as  follows : 

1.  The  mind  must  recognize  a  need. 

2.  It  must  see  that  the  article  advertised  wall  supply  it. 

3.  It  must  recognize  its  superiority  over  competing  articles. 

4.  it  must  make  a  decision. 

The  merchandising  situation  of  the  article  has  much  to  do 
with  the  emphasis  laid  upon  the  different  processes.  In  the 
case  of  a  new  invention  or  one  that  is  not  yet  in  general  use, 
such  as  a  business  phonograph  or  dictaphone,  or  a  new  book 
—  stress  must  be  laid  on  the  first  and  second  processes.  In 
the  case  of  an  article  which  is  already  needed  and  for  which 
the  need  is  recognized  —  automobile  tires  and  typewriters  — 
the  third  and  fourth  processes  receive  greatest  emphasis. 

Most  articles,  in  fact,  pass  through  about  the  same  advertis- 
ing history,  consisting  of  certain  broad  phases.  The  first 
phase  is  the  educational,  in  which  the  advertising  copy  tries 
to  show  people  that  this  new  type  of  article  is  one  that  they 
should  have.  The  automobile,  for  example,  had  first  to 
demonstrate  its  practicability.  Advertising  copy  in  the  early 
days  showed  the  automobile  climbing  Pike's  Peak  or  descend- 
ing the  Capitol  steps  at  Washington.  The  second  stage  is  the 
more  strictly  competitive  stage.  People  have  discovered  their 
need  of  an  article  and  have  become  convinced  of  its  practi- 
cability. It  is  necessary  for  them  to  recognize  the  merits  of 
the  individual  article  rather  than  of  the  type.  There  is  fre- 
quently a  still  later  stage  or  publicity  stage  in  which  the  great- 
est stress  is  laid  upon  suggesting  action. 

One  method  of  constructing  a  reason-why  appeal  that  is 


I90  ADVERTISING  COPY 

complete  in  its  processes  is  called  the  "  predicament "  method 
or  formula.  As  its  name  implies,  it  begins  by  placing  the 
reader  in  a  predicament,  which  he  may  or  may  not  actually 
have  experienced,  and  then  proceeds  to  extricate  him  from 
the  difficulty  by  means  of  the  article  advertised.  He  is  made 
to  see  himself  confronted  with  the  necessity  of  getting  out  a 
large  number  of  letters  with  his  regular  stenographer  ill  or 
away  on  a  vacation,  and  the  others  all  busy.  He  finds  the 
business  phonograph  is  the  only  thing  that  can  enable  him  to 
get  his  mail  out  on  time.  Or,  the  housewife  is  made  to  see 
herself  confronted  by  unexpected  guests  for  whom  her  regular 
marketing  has  not  made  provision.  Canned  soup  or  baked 
beans  or  potted  ham  gets  her  out  of  the  difficulty.  This  pre- 
dicament formula  is  applicable  to  many  types  of  advertising. 
Often  it  involves  the  use  of  human  interest  in  its  appeal,  but  is, 
nevertheless,  to  be  considered  a  type  of  reason-why  copy. 

Eliminating  Alternatives 

Since  the  important  part  of  the  work  of  reason-why  copy 
is  to  make  the  reader  choose  the  advertised  article  in  prefer- 
ence to  competitors,  it  might  be  thought  that  the  end  can  be 
reached  by  the  elimination  of  the  alternatives.  The  danger 
in  attacking  competitors  is  that  the  purposes  of  the  first  two 
processes  of  deliberation  may  be  defeated.  Attacks  on  com- 
petitors often  weaken  confidence  in  the  class  as  a  whole.  They 
make  the  reader  think  that  he  may  be  defrauded  in  his  purchase 
and  perhaps  he  had  better  get  along  without  the  article  or  any 
similar  article.  Moreover,  copy  attacking  competitors  is  likely 
to  violate  the  principle  of  emphasis,  which  demands  that  stress 
be  laid  upon  the  things  that  are  important.  A  positive  appeal 
is  almost  always  more  important  than  a  negative  warning. 

Attacks  on  competitors  may  sometimes  be  used  in  the  case 
of  a  type  of  article  that  is  well  established  and  habitually 
bought.     Even  here  it  is  bad  unless  the  elimination  of  alterna- 


REASON-WHY  COPY 


191 


tives  leads  to  acceptance  of  the 
article  advertised.  If  there  are 
only  two  roads  a  man  may  fol- 
low, it  is  just  as  useful  to  warn 
him  aw^ay  from  the  wrong  one 
as  to  direct  him  to  the  right  one. 
Yet,  even  in  religion,  the  appeal 
to  do  the  right  thing  because  of 
the  hope  of  future  reward  has 
taken  the  place  of  a  warning 
away  from  the  wrong  thing  be- 
cause of  the  fear  of  punish- 
ment. It  is  possible  to  attack 
the  habit  of  drinking  coffee  if 
the  avoidance  of  coffee  leads  to 
the  substitute  of  *'  Postum.'* 
When  several  new  coffee  sub- 
stitutes have  entered  the  field, 
this  appeal  may  no  longer  be 
effective  and  any  new  coffee 
substitute  would  probably  do 
well  to  lay  most  stress  upon 
the  positive  benefits. 

Similar  principles  apply  to 
so-called  "  substitute "  copy 
where  the  advertiser  warns  the 
reader  against  imitations  of  his 
product.  The  buying  habit 
must  be  strong  before  a  warn- 
ing against  substitutes  can  be 
effective.  In  the  case  of  an 
article  bought  but  seldom,  it  is 
more  profitable  to  show  the 
need  and  to  show  that  the  ar- 


Drops  of  Prevention 

Ward  off  disease  by  dropping  a  little 
Lysol  in  water  used  in  wasiiing,  wher- 
ever there  is  the  slightest  danger  of 
germs  or.  infection. 

Lysol  should  be  used  reg^vilarly  in 
your  household,  as  it  is  in  practically 
every  hospital  in  the  country.  Disease 
can  scarcely  enter  a  house  guarded 
by  the  physician's  favorite  Antiseptic, 
Disinfectant  and  Germicide  — 


Lysol  is  the  standard  antiseptic  in 
maternity  .cases  and  is  therefore  safest 
for  every,  day  use.  Five  times  more 
powerful  as  an  antiseptic  than  carbolic 
acid ;  better  in  every  way  than  danger* 
ous  biciiloride  of  mercury  tablets. 

It  is  the  ideal  disinfectant  for  house- 
hold and  personal  hygiene. 

A  small  bottle  lasts  for  months  and 
is  practical  insurance  against  heavy 
i  medical  bills,  loss  of  health,  and  worse. 
^  Three  Size;  2Sc,  SOc,  $1.00 

^^k  Sold  by  Draggitl*  Eotrywhtrm 

WH  IMPORTANT  — Be  sure  you  get  Lysol 

HMH       itself.    It  is  put  up  in  round  bottles  with 
MW        the  sig;nature  of  Lehn  &  Fink  on  the  laljel. 

Lysol  is  safe  and  will  safeguard  you;  the 

imitations  may  not. 
Helpful  Booklet,  "Home  Hyfiene,"  Mailed  FREE 
Send  your  name  and  address 'for  the  Lysol  book- 
let. It  is  full  of  practical  helps  for  preserving  health. 
Address 
Uha  &  Fiiik.»*^j;^fSj°«120WilliMiSt,  NewTofk 


Subordination  of  the  "  substitute  " 
appeal 


192  ADVERTISING  COPY 

tide  fills  the  need,  than  to  concentrate  upon  the  warning  against 
imitations.  "  Beware  of  Imitations "  is  a  weak  form  of 
reason-why  copy.  Even  where  the  merchandising  situation 
indicates  that  the  greatest  loss  suffered  by  the  article  is  a  loss 
through  substitutes  or  imitations,  it  is  still  wise  to  use  a  com- 
plete, positive  appeal  and  insert  the  warning  at  the  close  as  a 
part  of  the  stimulus  to  action. 

Narrowing  the  Choice 

Reason-why  copy  always  leads  to  a  choice.  It  is  often  help- 
ful to  narrow  the  choice  to  several  types  of  articles  sold  by 
the  advertiser.  The  personal  salesman  of  books  frequently 
gets  the  prospect  to  show  a  preference  for  one  of  several 
bindings,  before  the  prospect  has  indicated  any  decision  as  to 
whether  he  will  buy  the  book  at  all.  Indeed  he  has  made  no 
decision,  but  by  fixing  his  mind  on  the  choice  between  differ- 
ent bindings  he  leaps  over  the  other  decision.  \\'ithout  know- 
ing it,  he  has  decided  to  buy  the  article.  In  the  same  way,  an 
advertiser  of  cigars  by  mail  may  invite  the  reader  to  decide 
between  two  shapes  of  the  same  cigar.  This  is  a  simple  choice 
and  in  making  it  the  reader  is  led  to  choose  the  brand  itself. 

Instances  might  be  multiplied  where  the  reason-why  copj; 
apparently  does  not  ask  the  reader  to  choose  the  type  of  article, 
but  rather  to  choose  between  two  or  three  forms  of  the  same 
type  —  between  shaving  soap  in  the  form  of  stick,  powder,  or 
cream;  between  tires  with  plain,  all-weather,  or  non-skidding 
treads. 

The  principle  involved  is  the  same  in  the  case  of  reason- 
why  copy  that  shows  the  '*  deadly  parallel."  It  is.  in  a  sense, 
a  warning  against  substitutes.  The  advertiser  places  his  article 
beside  the  unnamed  articles  bought  as  substitutes  and  asks 
to  have  an  intelligent  comparison  made.  The  choice  is  nar- 
rowed to  the  advertiser's  article  and  something  so  inferior 
that  there  can  be  no  question  of  the  decision. 


PepoxWe 

of 

WydPQg^n 


H2O2 

These  Mcirks 
on  the  Pure  and 

the  Doubtful 
LOOK  OUT! 


rOAWAND  CHEMKAl"* 


TAKE  YOUR  CHOICE 

After  Reading  these  Undeniable  Facts 

Its  mighty  serious  work  to  tight  intection,  A  pin  prick  may  lead  to  DIood  poison.  The  scratch  of  a 
rusty  nail  may  bring  into  your  system  ihe  germs  of  deadly  lock  -jaw  A  disting^uished  physician  once  said . 
"What  medical  men  most  desire  in  the  remedies  they  use  is  effectiveness  and  reliability,  in  fl  word,  confi- 
dence." The  name  DIOXOGEN  spells  confidence  in  Peroxide  of  Hydrogen,  the  uncertainty  (a  marked 
charactenstic  of  ordinary  Peroxide)  has  been  eliminated. 

It  you  nave  a  bottle  of  Dioxogen  handy  doubt  and  fear  are  replaced  by  confidence,  confidence  in  the 
quality  of  the  product  and  confidence  in  the  work  that  it  will  do. 

Dioxogen  is  the  one  reliable  Peroxide  of  Hydrogen.    You  may  be  told  tfiat 

Dioxogen 


costs  more  than  ordinary  Peroxide  (the  kind  that  s  soid  t)ecaust  it  s  Lheap).  and  that  the  substitute  is  "Just 
as  good.'     Is  it?     Here  are  the  facts  — take  your  choice. 

Compare  "ordinary  peroxide"  with  Dtoxogtn 


,,..- 

Th. 

5C£.V 

required  by  ih<  0   &  SUndArd     1 

DlOX 

buT  Dioioc.n  BY  NAME   *«»  kno 
punly    .trcnflh  «ad  tl.bdily. 

of  <r.  i«irA  e«itf'^wi*et.  k>  nam* 

THE  OAKLAND  CHEMICAL  CO..  98  Front  Street.  New  York  - 


iiiiiiiiin iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiuiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNii!i|iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiimii miiii iiiiiiiiiiiiii!ii||||||||||||||||||||||||D 

Strong  reason-wh}'  copy  using  the  "  deadly  parallel " 


193 


194  ADVERTISING  COPY 

Evidence 

All  reason-why  copy  should  be  based  upon  evidence,  either 
stated  or  implied  —  preferably  stated.  Evidence  is  of  three 
main  types : 

1.  Tests  and  guarantees 

2.  Testimony 

3.  Facts  and  figures 

The  best  kind  of  evidence  is  that  which  the  reader  himself 
supplies  from  his  own  experience  and  knowledge.  Of  almost 
equal  value  are  tests  that  he  can  make  himself,  such  as  the 
litmus  paper  test  for  acid  mouth  in  the  case  of  Pebeco  and  the 
blow  pipe  test  on  white  lead  in  the  case  of  the  National  Lead 
Company.  Even  though  the  reader  does  not  actually  make 
the  test,  the  advertiser's  willingness  gives  him  confidence  in 
the  article.  The  same  thing  is  true  of  approval  and  money 
back  offers  or  hard  and  fast  guarantees  played  up  in  the  copy. 

Testimony,  the  second  class  of  evidence,  consists  of  the 
statement  of  those  who  have  used  the  article  and  are  in  a  posi- 
tion to  speak  of  its  merits.  This  type  of  evidence  has  lost 
much  of  its  force  for  thinking  people  because  of  the  fact  that 
it  has  been  used  in  connection  with  medical  advertising  of 
doubtful  character  and  because  testimonials  are  frequently 
given  by  people  who  have  not  used  the  article  and  are  only 
trying  to  gain  a  little  notoriety.  The  intrinsic  value  of  the 
testimony  that  purports  to  come  from  actresses,  baseball 
players,  and  people  prominent  in  the  amusement  world  is  al- 
most negligible.  Such  testimonials  have  weight,  but  it  is 
frequently  by  their  appeal  to  the  emotion,  rather  than  by  their 
appeal  to  the  reason. 

The  only  kind  of  testimony  that  is  really  valual)le  in  a 
strictly  reason-why  appeal  is  that  which  comes  from  people 
of  unquestioned  reputation  for  integrity,  who  are  qualified  to 
speak    with    authority.     The    testimony    of    architects    and 


The  Significance  of  Performance 


When  1 16  cars  of  the  same  make  run  100 
xn\\t%  all  the  way  on  low  gear — under  all  con- 
ditions of  weather,  including  high  tempera- 
tures, at  lofty  altitudes,  over  rough  roads — 

{116  slock  franklin  sixis,  in  lit  difftrmi  srclions.  ptr/armrd 
this  Jtat  on  September  24,  1914,  without  stopping,  u-ithoid 
special  lubrication,  attachments  or  adjustments  of  any  kind, 
demonstrating  the  absolute  superiority  of  Franklin  direct' 
air-coojing.) 

When  94  cars  of  the  same  make  average 
32.8  miles  each  on  one  gallon  of  gasoline, 
under  all  sorts  of  road  and  weather  condi- 
tions- 


When,  owners  of  cars  of  this  same  make 
show  an  average  life  per  set  of  tires  of  more 
than  8000  miles  in  ordinary,  every-day  use — 


When  scientific  tests  show  that  of  the 
power  developed  by  the  engine  of  this  car 
84.4%  Is  transformed  into  motion  and  only 
15.6  taken  up  by  friction — 

(This  test  was  made  by  mechanical  engineers  at  the  Worcester 
Polytechnic  Institute.  There  are  six  main  points  in  a  car 
where  friction  reduces  power.  Most  cars  lose  more  than  15% 
in  the  friction  of  the  tires  on  the  road  alone.  The  Franklin 
delivers  all  but  15.6  of  the  power  developed.) 

When  the  experience  of  owners  of  this, 
same  car  shows  from  400  to  900  miles  per 
gallon  of  lubricating  oil — 


(Even  in  the  low  |n 
ditions,  the  average 
'uas  only  1.2  gallon 
sixss  equivalent 


336 


run,  under  extreme  and  abnctrmal  con- 
nsumption  for  100  miles  by  116  cars 
The  average  work  done  by  the  engine 
miles  at  a  speed  of  42  miles  per  hour  } 


When  five  such  feats — any  one  of  them 
remarkable  in  itself — are  all  performed  by 
the  same  car,  the  significance  of  the  per- 
formance to  you,  as  a  car  buyer,  is  this: 


The  Franklin  is  an  all-round  car— proved  at  every  point- 
power,  efficiency,  economy,  etc. 


1  he  Franklin  is  presented  to  you  on  its  performance — not  on  ; 
lion  or  description  — but  on  performance. 

And  the  whole  record  goes  back  to  the  fundamental  princlpli 
which  the  Franklin  organization  has  been  at  work  for  thirteen  yc»n— 
tific  light  weight  built  around  the  direct- 
air-cooled  engine.  The  basic  advantages 
of  direct-air-cooling  are:  (I)  nothing  to 
overheat  in  the  hardest  running,  (2)  noth- 
ing to  freeze  in  winter,  (3)  the  elimination 
of  more  than  100  unnecessary  parts,  (4j 
sheer  engine  efficiency  and  powec 


Light  Weight 

With 

ing,  etc., 
only  in  th 
parts  as  w. 

no  watei 
weight  i 
e  engine 
-\l   Thi< 

-,  pump,  radiator,  pip- 
s  greatly  reduced,  not 
:  but  in  the  supporting 
;  brings  economy  in  use 

There  is  only  one  Franklin  chassis.    But  there  are  five  styles  of  body 
including  three  enclosed  types.    Direct-air-cooling  makes  it  practicable 
to  run  the  Franklin,  even  in  the  coldest  winter  or  the  hottest  summer 
iveather,  without  the  slightest  cooling  trouble.    The  enclosed  Franklin 
cars  therefore,  with  their  double  ventilation  control, 
are  particularly  adapted  for  all-year-round  use.   In 
every  particular  of  power,  economy  and  efficiency 
they  are  identical  with  the  open  cars.    The  ap- 
pointments arc  complete  and  designed  for  the 
discriminating. 


of  fuel  and  in  wear  on  tires.  Combined  with  this  light  weight  is  flexibil- 
ity—  resilient  instead  of  jarring — which  is  not  only  the  secret  of  riding 
comfort  but  also  plays  its  part  in  economy  by  reducing  road  shocks. 


Style  and  Comfort 

The  style  and  comfort  of  the  Franklin  can  be 

'demonstrated  by  performance  quite  as  well  as  the 

"mechanical  efficiency  and  economy.    Simply  ask 

the  dealer  in  your  city  to  show  you  the  car.    Then 

ask  him  to  take  you  out  on  the  roughest  roads  in 

your  nclghboiliood.  Then  turn  back  once  more  to  the  written  record  of 

efficiency,  pov-er  and  economy     You  will  appreciate  then  that  the  sum 

total  of  the  ferfarm.inca  of  this  car  his  an  iinportjnt  si^nifcanu  for  you. 


Send  for  booklet  civing  details 
of  100-mile  low  gear  demnn- 
straTion,and  folder  expl-iinin^ 
the  dircct-air-coolinc  and  \hr 


Franklin  Automobile  Co. 


Reason-why  copy  based  on  the  evidence  of  records 


195 


19^  ADVERTISING  COPY 

builders  as  to  a  certain  type  of  furnace  may  do  much  to  create 
confidence.  It  is  best,  of  course,  when  the  author  of  the  testi- 
monial is  known  personally  or  by  reputation  to  a  large  per- 
centage of  prospective  buyers. 

The  third  kind  of  evidence  is  in  the  form  of  well  authen- 
ticated records  and  statistics  that  may  show  the  performance 
of  the  article  under  given  conditions,  the  volume  of  sales  for 
a  given  period,  or  the  like.  In  advertising  technical  products, 
evidence  of  this  form  is  particularly  strong.  Its  lack  of  in- 
trinsic interest,  however,  makes  it  less  useful  in  general  ad- 
vertising and  in  advertising  to  women. 

Whenever  used  such  evidence  should  be  absolutely  specific. 
It  w'ould  not  do  to  say  that  one  large  company  has  the  roofs  of 
its  buildings  covered  by  our  roofing.  It  would  be  better  to  say 
"  The  Bush  Terminal  Company  has  3,100,000  square  feet  (70 
acres)  of  our  roofing."  Sometimes  facts  and  figures  can  be 
given  interest,  not  only  by  being  concrete,  but  by  being  ex- 
pressed in  terms  of  action.  A  cross-country  endurance  trip 
of  an  automobile  might  have  something  of  more  interest  than 
miles  covered,  number  of  gallons  of  gasoline  consumed  and 
cost  of  repairs.  It  might  show  how^  the  car  plunged  through 
mud  up  to  the  hubs,  crossed  wastes  of  desert  sand  and  crept 
along  the  edge  of  towering  clifTs  until  it  reached  its  destina- 
tion. This  method  is  to  be  used  with  some  caution.  If  the  ad- 
vertisement is  simply  trying  to  convince  a  few  interested  per- 
sons, it  is  usually  better  to  stick  to  the  conservative  tabulation 
of  figures. 

Deductive  Reasoning 

Before  the  writer  can  actually  begin  the  work  of  construct- 
ing a  piece  of  reason-why  copy,  he  should  carefully  analyze  the 
proposition.  He  should  pick  out  the  talking-points  and  the 
facts  that  ought  to  be  most  effective  with  his  prospective  buyers. 
When  he  has  sifted  them  down  to  the  few  that  can  be  placed 


REASON-WHY  COPY  197 

in  a  single  piece  of  copy  he  is  ready  for  the  presentation  of  the 
argument.  The  two  main  orders  of  presentation  are  the  de- 
ductive and  the  inductive. 

The  deductive  order  gives  the  main  fact  or  assertion  first 
and  then  backs  it  up  with  explanation,  logical  reasoning  and 
evidence.  **  A  Marvel  of  Simplicity,"  says  the  Fiat  Car,  and 
then  gives  the  details  of  construction  which  prove  its  simplicity. 
"  Insures  Light  in  Emergency,"  "  Cuts  Tire  Costs  in  Half," 
*'  Three  Lamps  for  the  Price  of  One."  These  are  examples  of 
headlines  that  indicate  a  deductive  appeal. 

The  headline,  if  one  is  used,  however,  does  not  always  take 
the  form  of  a  general  assertion.  The  number  of  elementary 
truths  that  attract  attention  are  somewhat  limited  and  if  they 
were  used  often,  advertisements  would  be  so  much  alike  as  to 
be  hackneyed  and  unattractive.  Often  the  headline  is  a  ques- 
tion:  "In  19 18  What?;"  "How  may  I  tell  what  car  to 
buy?"  Sometimes  it  is  an  indirect  assertion,  "Why  You 
Should  Investigate,"  or  a  direct  command.  "  Get  the  Personal 
Touch."  Sometimes  the  headline  is  largely  a  human-interest 
appeal  and  the  deductive  method  appears  only  in  the  body  of 
the  copy. 

The  deductive  order  is  useful  when  the  general  appeal  is 
one  that  is  close  to  the  reader's  interests  and  capable  of  original 
phrasing.  It  has  publicity  value  in  that  even  the  reader  who 
gives  it  only  a  casual  glance  is  likely  to  get  the  main  idea  and 
receive  some  impression  that  will  be  useful  in  future  adver- 
tising, though  the  remainder  of  this  particular  advertisement 
is  not  read. 

The  danger  of  the  deductive  order  is  the  danger  of  indulging 
in  generalities  that  fail  to  arouse  interest.  There  is  a  further 
danger  in  that  writers  are  likely  to  follow  the  general  asser- 
tion with  a  mere  list  of  bccaiises,  disconnected  and  monoton- 
ous. A  list  of  reasons  to  support  a  general  assertion  is  usu- 
ally a  weak  method.     If  it  is  used  the  word  because  should 


198  ADVERTISING  COPY 

BARRETT  SPECIFICATIOxN  ROOFS 
No  Maintenance  Cost 

An  investigation  into  net  roofing  costs  will  promptly 
disclose  the  superiority  of  Barrett  Specification  Roofs. 
Their  first  cost  is  lower  than  that  of  any  other  permanent 
roof,  and,  as  they  require  no  painting  or  other  care  for 
upwards  of  twenty  years,  their  maintenance  cost  is  nil. 

The  Bush  Terminal  Company,  with  a  total  roof  area 
of  more  than  70  acres  (3,100,000  square  feet)  on  their 
181  buildings  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  illustrated  below, 
studied  the  subject  of  roofing  costs,  and  adopted  this  type 
of  roofs.  The  Vice-President  of  the  Bush  Terminal 
Company  writes : 

We  use  this  kind  of  roofing  because  our  experi- 
ence has  shown  it  to  be  the  best  and  cheapest. 
Our  analysis  of  first  cost  of  application  and  cost 
of  maintenance  entitles  us  to  speak  with  some 
measure  of  authority. 

The  roofing  contractor  states  that  the  expense  for 
maintenance  of  this  entire  roof  area  has  been  less  than 
$10  and  estimates  that  if  metal  or  ready-made  roofings 
had  been  used  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  keep  the 
buildings  free  from  leaks,  and  that  the  painting  bills 
alone  up  to  date  would  probably  have  amounted  to  at 
least  $50,000. 

It  is  on  such  evidence  as  this  that  we  base  the  state- 
ment that  the  maintenance  cost  of  Barrett  Specification 
Roofs  is  nothing  per  year  —  and  the  $10  exception 
"  proves  the  rule." 

A  copy  of  The  Barrett  Specification  free  on  request. 
Address  our  nearest  office. 


Deductive  rcason-wh}'  copy 


REASON-WHY  COPY  199 


BARRETT  SPECIFICATION  ROOFS 

A  $10  repair  bill  on  70  acres  of  roof 
over  a  16  year  period 

The  Bush  Terminal  Buildings  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  ex- 
tend a  mile  along  the  shore. 

The  net  roof  area  of  these  buildings  is  3,ioo,cxx)  square 
feet  —  or  more  than  70  acres. 

Every  inch  of  this  is  roofed  with  Barrett  materials  — 
and,  since  1897,  when  the  first  roof  was  covered,  the  cost 
of  maintenance  has  been  less  than  $10.00. 

The  Bush  Terminal  people  write  us : 

"  We  use  this  kind  of  roofing  because  our  ex- 
perience has  shown  it  to  be  the  best  and  cheapest. 
Our  analysis  of  first  cost  of  application  and  cost 
of  maintenance  entitles  us  to  speak  with  some 
measure  of  authority." 

The  idea  behind  Barrett  Specification  Roofs  is  an  old 
one.  established  by  years  of  experience  —  namely,  that 
coal  tar  pitch,  tarred  felt,  and  gravel  or  slag,  when  prop- 
erly laid,  make  the  best  and  most  economical  roof  cov- 
ering. 

Architects,  engineers  and  contractors  know  that,  if 
The  Barrett  Specification  is  followed  absolutely,  the 
resulting  roof  will  last  longer  and  cost  less  than  any  other 
kind. 


Copy  of  The  Barrett  Specification  with  tracing  ready  for 

incorporation  in  your  building  plans  sent  free 

on  request.     Address  our  nearest  ofiice. 

BARRETT  AIAXUFACTURING  COMPANY 


Inductive  reason-why  copy 


200  ADVERTISING  COPY 

not  be  tacked  on  at  the  beginning  of  each  reason,  for  the  word 
is  not  deserving  of  this  emphasis. 

The  deductive  appeal,  however,  is  usually  good  for  news- 
paper copy  and  for  copy  in  other  publications  reaching  a  wide 
class  of  readers. 

Inductive  Appeal 

The  inductive  appeal  begins  with  a  concrete  fact  or  bit  of 
evidence  and  from  this  proceeds  to  the  general  assertion  or 
conclusion.  The  concrete  fact  may  be  a  big  one  —  one  that 
almost  implies  a  conclusion.  A  good  instance  of  this  is  the 
Reo  advertisement  which  reads:  "$200  Buried."  It  begins 
with  this  concrete  statement  and  then  shows  how  the  buyer 
benefits  by  this  extra  $200  spent  on  details  of  construction  that 
are  not  apparent  to  the  eye.  On  the  other  hand,  the  concrete 
fact  may  be  a  small  one  as  "  There  is  no  gear  lever  in  the  new 
Haynes  Car,"  or,  "  Our  average  profit  is  $2.90  per  tire."  It 
may  simply  be  a  suggestion  of  the  particular  piece  of  evidence, 
as  "  Cambridge's  Experience  with  Tarvia  "  or  "  A  Million 
Dollars'  Worth  of  Harley-Davidsons  in  the  Government  Serv- 
ice." 

It  is  obvious  that  in  most  cases  inductive  copy  has  little  pub- 
licity value.  It  has  to  be  read  completely  before  the  argument 
can  have  much  weight.  It  is  not  to  be  recommended,  there- 
fore, in  most  cases  of  newspaper  advertising  or  in  cases  where 
the  message  is  to  be  impressed  upon  a  large  number.  It  is 
advisable  for  advertisements  in  business  and  technical  publica- 
tions where  readers  are  picked  and  in  advertisements  where  it 
is  more  important  to  convince  a  few  people  than  it  is  to  make 
a  slight  impression  upon  a  much  larger  number. 

The  example  on  page  199  represents  a  piece  of  inductive 
copy  based  upon  the  same  material  as  the  advertisement  on 
page  198.  which  is  a  deductive  appeal.  In  this  case  the  in- 
ductive appeal  is  the  more  effective.     The  evidence  has  srf- 


REASON-WHY  COPY  .  201 

ficient  interest  in  itself  to  attract  readers,  because  of  the 
prominence  of  the  concern  and  the  exactness  of  the  figures. 
The  general  claims,  on  the  other  hand,  are  such  as  might  be 
made  by  almost  any  other  roofing  manufacturer  and  are  not 
convincing  until  the  evidence  has  been  read. 

Point  of  View 

So  far,  we  have  considered  the  reason-why  copy  as  if  it  were 
in  the  form  of  abstract  argument.  This  is  not  always  the 
case,  though  it  is  most  typical.  Reason-why  copy  may  be 
presented  in  the  first  person  where  the  advertiser  himself  tells 
his  story. 

This  first  person  method  has  the  tone  of  realism  and  usually 
creates  a  good  deal  of  confidence.  Its  only  danger  is  that  of 
appearing  egotistical.  Even  though  it  is  written  in  the  first 
person  the  reader's  interest  must  always  be  kept  foremost.  It 
should  have  the  "  you  "  attitude. 

A  great  deal  of  reason-why  copy  is  written  from  the  second 
person  point  of  view.  Examples  of  this  are  numerous  in  the 
preceding  pages. 

The  abstract  third  person  method  has  already  been  dealt  with. 
Occasionally  an  advertisement  is  written  in  which  an  article 
is  personified.  This  is  most  frequently  done  when  the  evi- 
dence is  one  of  records  that  the  article  has  made. 

Style  and  Tone 

When  we  speak  of  reason-why  copy  as  argumentative,  it 
must  not  be  taken  to  imply  that  it  must  be  aggressive  or 
dominating.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  in  a  large  number  of  cases 
it  is.  The  selling  attitude  leads  to  aggressiveness.  Reason- 
why  copy  in  the  minds  of  many  people  is  composed  of  short, 
snappy  sentences  like  those  of  a  Brisbane  editorial.  For  the 
average  person  and  the  average  article,  this  tone  is  useful. 

Some  classes  of  people,  however,  cannot  be  successfully  ap- 


202  .  ADVERTISING  COPY 

pealed  to  in  that  way.  They  do  not  wish  to  be  bulHed  or  ex- 
horted. In  appealing  to  such  classes  it  is  better  to  use  the 
insinuating  or  persuasive  tone.  The  advertiser  merely  states 
the  facts  and  allows  the  reader  to  draw  his  own  conclusions. 

There  are  all  varieties  of  tone  from  the  cheap  clap-trap  to 
the  ultra  dignified  and  reserved.  It  is  nearly  always  safe 
to  adopt  a  tone  that  is  somewhere  between  the  two  extremes 
—  simple,  sincere,  and  forceful,  without  being  noisy  or  over- 
emphatic. 

Successful  reason-why  copy  has  refuted  the  claim  that  a 
long  advertisement  will  not  be  read.  A  long  advertisement 
will  be  read  provided  it  is  made  interesting  to  the  reader  and 
contains  real  selling  arguments.  If  the  purpose  of  the  adver- 
tisement is  to  convince,  it  usually  requires  some  length.  De- 
liberation takes  time  and  if  the  reader  is  to  deliberate  the  writer 
may  well  go  along  with  him  and  help  him  deliberate  so  as  to 
be  sure  he  will  reach  the  right  conclusion.  In  some  business 
magazines  multi-page  advertisements  —  in  some  cases  reach- 
ing eight  pages  —  have  been  proved  successful.  A  man  who 
is  genuinely  interested  will  read  them  and  he,  of  course,  is  the 
man  who  is  the  best  prospect.  But  the  copy  must  be  sincere, 
must  be  vital,  and  must  contain  not  merely  words  but  facts. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

HUMAN-INTEREST  COPY 

Its  Purposes  and  Methods 

Human-Interest  copy,  or  "  Short-Circuit "  copy  as  psy- 
chologists call  it,  makes  its  chief  appeal  to  the  senses  or  emo- 
tions of  the  reader,  with  the  object  of  arousing  desire  for  the 
article  advertised.  Response  to  it  is  usually  instinctive  rather 
than  reasoned,  and  consequently  depends  largely  upon  sug- 
gestion —  very  little  upon  deliberation. 

In  view  of  these  facts  it  is  natural  that  human-interest  ad- 
vertisements depend  more  upon  illustration  and  other  elements 
of  display  than  upon  the  copy  itself.  Frequently  the  copy 
plays  but  a  small  part.  It  is  not  in  any  case  unimportant,  for 
however  brief  it  is,  it  should  have  some  human-interest  quality 
and  harmonize  with  the  display. 

It  may  be  noted  here  that  all  copy  has  some  human  interest, 
whether  intentional  or  unintentional,  for  all  symbols  —  words 
as  well  as  colors  and  forms  —  have  their  associations  as  well 
as  their  definite  meaning.  Even  so  simple  a  thing  as  the  name 
of  a  person  calls  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  some  individual 
of  that  name  he  has  known  in  his  experience  and  the  word  is 
unconsciously  colored  by  his  impression  of  the  individual. 
Anna,  Grace,  Margaret,  Helen,  Charles,  and  Henry  each  brings 
up  its  associations  from  past  experience,  usually  with  a  feeling 
of  like  or  dislike.  That  is  why  the  writers  of  romance  choose 
unusual  names  for  their  heroes  and  heroines  in  order  that  the 
reader  may  not  be  distracted  by  impressions  of  every  day  peo- 
ple he  has  known. 

This  simple  instance  shows  how  important  it  is  that  the 

203 


204  ADVERTISING  COPY 

writer  of  any  advertising  appeal  should  heed  the  suggestion  or 
connotation  of  the  symbols  he  uses  even  though  he  is  writing 
an  appeal  to  the  intellect  or  reason.  A  reason-why  advertise- 
ment for  tailored  clothing  tried  to  enforce  its  argument  that 
clothes  should  be  individual  by  proving  that  each  man  is  dif- 
ferent from  all  others.  Its  headline  read  "  Down  to  Your 
Thumb  Prints."'  There  was  no  intention  of  suggesting  crim- 
inals, yet  those  who  are  familiar  with  the  Bertillon  system  of 
thumb  prints  would  associate  criminals  with  the  clothes  and 
thus  be  drawn  away  from  the  real  message  of  the  advertise- 
ment. It  was  good  reason-why  spoiled  by  an  unfortunate 
human-interest  association. 

The  writer  must  constantly  be  on  his  guard  against  elements 
in  the  display  or  copy  that  will  distract  the  reader  from  the  mes- 
sage to  be  conveyed,  or  associate  some  unpleasant  idea  with 
his  impression.  In  the  writing  of  reason-w  hy  copy,  however, 
he  has  merely  to  guard  against  unintentional  bad  suggestion. 
In  writing  human-interest  copy  he  is  attempting  to  secure  in- 
tentional good  suggestion.  He  is  trying  to  arouse  desire  for 
his  article  by  associating  with  it  pleasant  and  relevant  ideas 
that  will  make  people  instinctively  desire  its  possession. 

How  Suggestion  Works 

We  may  conveniently  look  upon  suggestion  as  a  method  of 
causing  the  reader  to  see  a  complete  image  by  giving  him  a 
part  of  it.  The  remainder  he  constructs  from  his  imagination, 
based  on  his  past  experience.  It  is  as  if  we  had  a  circle  with 
a  small  segment  omitted,  or  even  segments.  The  eye  would 
leap  the  gaps  and  would  see  the  circle  as  a  complete  unbroken 
whole. 

This  method  of  suggestion  has  been  effectively  used  in  ad- 
vertising illustrations  by  Coles  Phillips  and  others.  Their 
shadow  drawings  do  not  show  complete  figures.  They  merely 
give  us  some  lines  and  from  our  knowledge  of  the  human  form 


HUMAN-INTEREST  COPY  205 

we  have  no  difficulty  in  supplying  the  rest.  In  the  same  way  we 
can  take  a  common  maxim  and  repeat  the  first  part  of  it : 
"  All's  Well,"  "  Never  too  Late."  "  A  Stitch  in  Time,"  and  so 
on.  The  mind  supplies  the  rest.  In  a  story  it  is  not  always 
necessary  to  give  the  ending.  A  slight  turn  in  the  direction  of 
the  solution  is  enough  for  the  reader. 

There  are  many  ways  in  which  this  method  of  associating 
ideas  is  used  in  advertising  copy.  Frequently  an  old  adage  or 
maxim  is  paraphrased,  such  as  "  A  Tube  in  Time  Saved  Mine  " 
or  **  A  Miss  is  as  Good  as  her  Smile."  These  give  no  appeal 
to  the  reason.  They  do,  however,  have  some  emotional  effect ; 
first  by  their  appeal  to  the  sense  of  humor,  and  second  by  the 
fact  that  they  associate  with  the  article  things  that  are  old  and 
true,  so  that  unconsciously  the  reader  is  led  to  believe  in  the 
truth  of  the  advertiser  and  his  message. 

Another  method  of  using  suggestion  was  shown  by  the  ad- 
vertisers of  Wilson  Whiskey  during  President  Wilson's  Cam- 
paign of  1912.  The  copy  was  brief  and  contained  such  state- 
ments as  the  following:  '*  Long  Live  Wilson  and  so  will  you 
if  you  drink  Wilson  from  the  bottle  which  won't  refill." 
The  value  of  this  came  first  from  associating  the  name  of  the 
whiskey  with  the  name  of  a  prominent  and  popular  man  and 
second  from  the  fact  that  it  suggested  the  value  of  Wilson 
Whiskey  by  showing  that  it  had  to  be  protected.  It  suggested 
that  care  had  to  be  taken  to  protect  it  from  substitution  or 
adulteration.  There  was  no  proof,  no  reasoning,  but  instead 
of  this  long  process  there  was  a  suggestion  that  made  the  mind 
leap  the  gap  and  reach  the  conclusion  that  W^ilson  Whiskey 
must  be  good. 

An  even  more  powerful  kind  of  suggestion  is  that  given 
us  by  the  words  and  acts  of  other  persons.  We  see  a  person 
doing  a  thing  and  there  is  a  natural  tendency  on  our  part  to 
follow  suit.  One  man  in  a  street  car  yawns  and  soon  every- 
body is  yawning.     One  man  stands  in  the  street  and  gazes  up 


206  ADVERTISING  COPY 

at  the  top  of  a  high  building.  A  crowd  collects  with  each  man 
craning  his  neck.  The  suggestion  given  by  an  action  is,  of 
course,  stronger  than  that  given  by  words.  Consequently,  this 
method  lends  itself  to  pictorial  advertising  better  than  to  all- 
copy  advertising.  Articles  such  as  Arrow  Collars  and  Cluett 
Shirts  depend  largely  on  it.  The  suggestion,  of  course,  is 
strongest  when  the  person  pictured  is  one  whom  we  admire. 
For  that  reason  the  persons  pictured  as  wearing  advertised 
brands  of  ready-made  clothes,  shirts,  etc.,  are  usually  engaged 
in  the  activities  of  the  leisure  classes,  even  though  these  brands 
might  not  actually  be  worn  by  such  persons  on  such  occasions. 
Sometimes  a  prominent  person,  such  as  Airs.  Castle  or  John 
McGraw,  is  shown  using  or  wearing  the  article  in  question. 

This  method,  as  has  been  said,  is  not  so  successful  in  the 
copy  proper  as  it  is  in  the  illustrations.  It  is  used,  neverthe- 
less, by  naming  the  article  after  some  prominent  individual,  as 
"  Mary  Garden  Perfume,"  "  Lillian  Russell  Face  Cream,"  and 
the  "  Castle  Pump."  It  is  also  used  by  giving  testimonials  and 
indorsements  from  prominent  persons,  especially  in  the  field  of 
sport. 

These  are  onlv  a  few  of  the  wavs  in  which  suecrestion  is 
used  in  human-interest  copy  to  arouse  a  buying  impulse.  In 
all  cases,  however,  the  idea  is  to  take  advantage  of  some  well- 
worn  channel  of  thought  and  start  the  reader  along,  confident 
that  he  will  reach  the  conclusion. 

When  Human-Interest  Copy  is  Appropriate 

It  is  necessary  here  to  give  some  brief  classification  of  the 
propositions  for  which  human-interest  copy  is  appropriate. 
The  fact  that  suggestion  depends  upon  experience  indicates 
that  it  is  not  likely  to  be  used  in  advertisements  about  new  and 
unfamiliar  articles.  Some  human  interest  may  be  necessary 
to  arouse  desire,  but  desire  alone  is  not  enough.  All  the  sales 
functions  need  to  be  accomplished  in  such  articles  though  part 


HUMAN-INTEREST  COPY  207 

of  them  may  be  accomplished  by  salesmen.  Even  in  such  cases, 
if  the  article  will  be  bought  finally  because  of  deliberation,  it  is 
generally  advisable  to  start  deliberation  by  means  of  the  copy. 
On  the  other  hand,  articles  that  are  bought  because  of  de- 
sire alone  —  that  is,  luxuries  and  articles  that  appeal  to  the 
senses  primarily  —  may  generally  use  human-interest  copy. 
The  following  classification  indicates  articles  for  which  human- 
interest  copy  is  suitable. 

1.  Articles  for  personal  use,  especially  for  adornment  or 

the  improvement  of  one's  appearance,  such  as  toilet 
articles,  jewelry,  clothing  accessories,  etc. 

2.  Articles  for  family  use  that  contribute  to  the  enjoyment 

of  life,  such  as  musical  instruments,  toys,  and  the 
like. 

3.  Articles  that  contribute  to  the  personal  safety  or  longer 

life  of  the  individual  or  members  of  his  family,  such 
as  insurance,  safety  devices,  revolvers,  etc. 

4.  Most  foods  and  drinks  and  smoking  materials,  especially 

those  bought  for  enjoyment  rather  than  for  nourish- 
ment, such  as  candy,  beer  and  liquors,  ginger  ale, 
grape  juice,  tobacco  and  cigarettes. 

5.  Articles  bought  frequently  as  gifts,  such  as  silverware, 

books,  and  flowers. 

Price  is  frequently  a  factor  in  determining  whether  the  ap- 
peal shall  be  to  the  reason  or  to  the  emotion.  Articles  of  small 
price  can  be  sold  usually  by  human  interest.  The  method, 
however,  that  is  good  for  chewing  gum,  soap,  and  tobacco  is 
not  so  good  for  automobiles,  pianos,  and  furniture.  A  still 
further  factor  is  the  class  of  readers.  All  persons  can  be 
reached  by  an  appeal  to  the  emotions,  but  it  is  far  easier  in  the 
case  of  women  than  of  men  and  is  difiicult  in  the  case  of  busi- 
ness men  and  farmers.  Again,  the  article  that  is  dominant  in 
its  field  can  better  afiford  to  use  the  human-interest  appeal  than 


208  ADVERTISING  COPY 

can  the  article  that  is  a  relatively  small  and  unimportant  com- 
petitor. 

Direct  Appeals  to  the  Senses 

The  simplest,  though  by  no  means  the  easiest,  of  human 
interest  appeals  is  the  direct  appeal  to  the  senses.  This  almost 
always  involves  the  use  of  illustration.  It  is  difficult  by  means 
of  words  alone  to  suggest  to  the  reader  the  taste  or  sound  or 
smell  of  an  article,  and  of  course  in  making  him  imagine  the 
appearance,  the  illustration  is  one  hundred  times  as  effective 
as  words.  The  English  vocabulary  contains  so  few  words 
that  directly  describe  sensations  that  it  is  usually  necessary  to 
resort  to  more  indirect  methods. 

If  a  direct  appeal  to  the  senses  is  used,  it  must  be  absolutely 
direct  and  concrete.  Vague,  general  words  such  as  pleasant, 
deliyhtful,  delicious,  and  the  like,  have  no  human-interest  value. 
They  ha\e  been  used  so  often  they  are  worn  out,  and  more- 
over they  are  too  vague  to  convey  a  definite  impression.  The 
writer  should  try  to  pick  out  the  distinguishing  superiority  of 
his  article  that  will  appeal  to  the  senses,  and  suggest  this  by 
an  exact  and  concrete  description.  He  should  also  picture  the 
article  from  the  standpoint  of  the  user.  Only  in  this  way  can 
he  bring  the  article  to  the  reader's  actual  or  imagined  experi- 
ence. 

The  following  example  will  illustrate : 

Wouldn't  You  Like  a  Soap  with  the  Real 
Fragrance  of  Violets? 

The  delicate  perfume  of  the  fresh,  sweet  violets,  so  real 
you  can  close  your  eyes  and  fairly  believe  you  are  smelling 
the  fresh-cut  flowers  themselves  —  this  is  the  toilet  delight 
awaiting  you  in  Jergen's  Violet  Glycerine  Soap ! 

And  we  have  caught  this  real  violet  fragrance  in  a  soap 
so  clear  you  can  see  through  it  —  the  color  of  the  violet  leaf, 
a  beautiful  translucent  green. 

"  Freshen-up  "  with  it  to-night ! 


HUMAN-INTEREST  COPY  209 

See  what  a  sense  of  dainty  cleanliness  it  brings  you,  what 
an  exquisitely  fresh  fragrance  it  imparts  to  your  skin  and 
hair. 

Any  water,  anywhere,  releases  its  delicate  perfume  and 
makes  an  instant  lather  —  soft,  white  and  plentiful. 

The  following  examples  will  illustrate  wrong  methods  of 
making  a  sense  appeal : 

The  New,  Delicious  and  Really  Nutritious  Candy 

MELLAMALT 

CONFECTIONS 

The  product  of  a  new  candy-making  formula  that  provides 
health-giving  qualities  in  addition  to  rare  deliciousness. 

You  can't  eat  too  many  of  them  —  because  no  harmful  in- 
gredients are  used.  Nothing  else  in  them  but  pure  cream, 
sugar,  nuts,  pure  fruit  flavoring  and  delicious  concentrated 
extract  of  malt  —  acknowledged  by  physicians  to  possess 
highest  nutritive  value. 


Wiser  Than  Her  Grandmother 
Grandmother  believed  heavy  meats  and  pastries  were  nec- 
essary for  active,  vigorous  girls. 

Granddaughter  knows  that  her  happy  face  —  her  springing 
walk  —  her  gay  spirits  —  all  are  caused  by  wholesome, 
energy-building  sugar. 

Each  day  granddaughter  eats 

MORSE'S  MILK  CHOCOLATE  CREAMS 

In  the  one  case  the  copy  emphasizes  the  fact  that  the  candy 
contains  malt.  To  the  average  mind  malt  is  medicinal  and 
therefore  incongruous  with  the  taste  of  candy.  In  fact,  most 
people  would  not  care  to  eat  candy  that  contains  malt.  The 
other  case  gives  an  itn fortunate  suggestion  to  people  who  re- 
spect their  grandparents  —  and  respect  for  the  aged  is  a  char- 
acteristic of  the  race.  In  general,  a  sense  appeal  must  con- 
tain no  ideas  that  are  irrelevant  or  incongruous  to  the  average 
person's  conception  of  the  article,  nor  should  they  awaken 


210  ADVERTISING  COPY 

emotions  of  a  negative  kind  that  would  counteract  the  positive 
desire  that  is  being  created. 

Tact  Essential  and  Good  Taste 

Many  grape  juice  advertisements  have  made  the  mistake 
of  associating  the  unpleasant  ideas  of  alcoholics  with  their 
product,  as  for  example  in  the  advertisement  which  begins  as 
follows :  "  Take  a  Joy  Ride  with  IMe.  No  Gray  Dawn  of 
the  Morning  After  for  people  who  drink  Armour's  Grape 
Juice."  Unless  the  appeal  were  made  mainly  to  people  who 
were  in  the  habit  of  drinking  wines  and  beer,  which  obviously 
is  not  the  case,  the  suggestion  of  such  a  beginning  would  be 
unfortunate  and  would  interfere  with  the  taste  appeal  of  the 
copy. 

Another  danger  to  be  avoided  in  sense  appeals  is  that  of 
making  them  so  vivid  that  they  are  disgusting.  The  most 
conspicuous  example  of  this  in  recent  years  was  the  chewing 
gum  advertisement  which  read  "  Click  go  the  teeth.  Out 
trickles  the  delicious  juice  of  Wrigley's  Spearmint  Gum." 
The  appeal  was  constructed  along  the  right  lines  but  the  image 
created  would  antagonize  any  normal  person. 

It  is  also  well  to  avoid  associating  an  article  to  be  used  by 
refined  persons  with  a  person  of  the  lower  classes  or  with  an 
animal.  An  advertisement  that  shows  a  hobo  picking  up  a 
cigar  butt,  and  saying  "  I  find  Prince  Charley's  Cigars  ex- 
cellent ''  does  not  sell  them  to  discriminating  smokers. 

In  similes,  likewise,  it  is  well  to  avoid  comparisons  with 
persons  or  conditions  for  which  there  can  be  no  feeling  of 
respect.  *'  Make  Your  Breath  as  Sweet  as  a  Cow's  Breath  " 
does  not  constitute  an  effective  appeal  for  chewing  gum.  An 
image  must  be  more  than  merely  vivid  and  concrete.  It  must 
be  pleasurable  and  reasonably  close  to  the  reader's  experience. 

A  direct  sense  appeal  does  not  always  mean  a  direct  descrip- 
tion of  the  article.     It  may  be  a  description  of  the  process  by 


HUMAN-INTEREST  COPY  21 1 

which  the  article  is  made  or  the  conditions  that  surround  it. 
We  may  get  a  desire  for  a  certain  brand  of  milk  by  learning  that 
it  comes  from  "  contented  cows  grazing  in  green  pastures." 
We  may  want  a  breakfast  food  more  because  we  learn  that 
"  no  human  hands  touch  it  "  before  our  own.  These  appeals 
are  incidentally  reason  appeals.  Primarily,  however,  they 
stimulate  desire  through  the  senses.  The  following  piece  of 
copy  is  an  interesting  if  somewhat  exaggerated  example  of  this 
type  of  appeal. 

We  Pick  Them  at  Sunrise 

Red-ripe  solid  Jersey  tomatoes  with  the  dew  standing  on 
them,  and  flashing  out  among  the  vines. 

The  fruit  at  that  hour  is  cold  and  firm.  When  you  open  it 
the  juice  gUstens  temptingly;  and  the  delicious  flavor  is  like 
nothing  else  in  the  world. 

That  is  what  you  get  in 

CAMPBELL'S  TOMATO  SOUP 

We  make  these  perfect  tomatoes  into  soup  the  day  they  are 
picked.  The  Campbell  process  retains  all  their  native  qual- 
ity and  freshness  and  their  delightful  aroma. 

All  the  other  ingredients  are  equally  choice  and  tempting. 
And  our  exclusive  blending-formula  produces  a  result  so  in- 
viting and  so  wholesome  that  experts  agree  in  classing  Camp- 
bell's as  the  standard  perfect  tomato  soup. 

Wouldn't  your  family  enjoy  it  today? 

Imitation 

A  more  indirect  sense  appeal,  but  frequently  effective,  is 
made  by  showing  someone  enjoying  the  article.  Thus,  we 
see  a  child  licking  the  peanut  butter  from  a  slice  of  bread, 
a  family  gathered  around  a  pianola  or  a  talking  ma- 
chine in  attitudes  of  eager  attention,  a  man  smiling  as  he 
puffs  at  his  cigar.  We  imagine  their  pleasure  and  want  to 
share  it.     As  has  been  remarked  earlier,  the  person    pictured 


jiL  i<r  alwog/<y  welcoioe 
-  be  hrvogs  dLooiM 


^oiy  Ever  Hold 


THE  highest   ideal  of  fastidious   lovers  of  nch  confections — is  realized   in 
Liggeil's  Chocolates.     The  craving  for  more  lingers — because  their  irresistible 
charm  of  Havor  is  never  forgotten    That  s  why  they  are  "The  sweetest  story  ever  told" 

Liggett**    Chocotatet    are    not    told   everywhere ^^bat    by    select    thops  ^^ 
The  leading  druggiatt  of  4000  townt  and  cities  in  United  States  &  Canada 

n  thcfc  u  no    JVS2SS:   Store  where  you  live,  remil  us  $1 .00  and  we  wiD  send  you  a  pound  box.  delivery  charges  prepaid. 
«ny%vhere  ui  the  United  States  or  Canada     Send  us  lUc  —  stamps  or  siKer — and  we  wiQ  mail  you  a  dainty  tnal  package 

Poundi  80c  anJ  H  00  Liggett,  Boston.  Man. 


Exaggerated  and  absurd  in  every  respect.     Makes  no  sense  appeal 


212 


HUMAN-INTEREST  COPY 


213 


must  be  of  the  kind  we  wish 
to  imitate,  otherwise  the  ad- 
vertisement not  only  does 
not  give  us  a  buying  impulse 
but  may  give  us  an  actual 
aversion  to  the  article. 

What  is  equally  import- 
ant, the  character  illustrated 
must  exercise  reasonable  re- 
straint. Usually  it  does  not 
please  us  to  see  a  young 
woman  eating  chocolates 
with  too  vivid  an  expression 
of  pleasure,  and  although  it 
may  be  attractive  to  see  her 
displaying  her  hosiery  to  the 
knee,  it  is  likely  to  antago- 
nize a  refined  woman  and 
make  her  feel  that  that  par- 
ticular brand  of  hosiery  is 
not  worn  by  really  nice 
women.  The  great  success 
of  McCallum  Hosiery  adver- 
tising has  been  due  to  its  re- 
straint. There  is  never  any 
lengthy  display  of  limb  and 
usually  there  is  not  actually 
descriptive  copy  except  of  an 
informative  kind. 

The  advertisements  on 
pages  212  and  213  illustrate 
the  difference  between  an 
unrestrained  appeal  which 
repels    by    its    exaggeration 


IT'S  pretty  hard  to  wait  that 
last  half-hour  before  daddy 
comes  with  the  box  of  ■^e^. 
But  ■e^i!^  are  worth  waiting 
for.  They,  always  taste  just  a 
little  better  than  you  remember. 


Bonbons  ^    Chocolates 

Children  lik^  -e^^  best  be- 
cause they  are  most  delicious. 
Mother  likes  them  best  for  the 
children  because  they  are  al- 
ways pure  and  fresn.  ■e^K^rJ' 
come  in  so  many  varieties  that 
they  suit  every  age  and  taste. 

^^^^  candies  are  sold  by 
■^e^  agents  (leading  druggists 
everywhere)  in  United  States 
and  Canada.  If  there  should 
be  no  sales  agent  near  you. 
write  to  us. 

64  IRVING  PLACE 
NEW  YORK 

Frank  DeK.  Huyler,  President 

■^K^  Cocoa  —  the   greatest    drink  for 

young  people 


Appeal  by  suggestion  (used  in  chil- 
dren's magazine) 


214  ADVERTISING  COPY 

and  absurdity,  and  a  restrained  appeal  which  suggests  more 
than  it  says. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  second  appeal  shows  a  child  as 
the  subject.  In  taste  appeals  it  is  usually  safest  to  feature 
children.  Even  though  they  are  shown  keenly  enjoying  their 
peanut  butter,  jam,  grape  juice  or  candy,  their  physical  pleas- 
ure is  not  offensive,  even  to  refined  people. 

Few  articles  can  be  advertised  entirely  by  a  sense  appeal. 
Usually  the  human-interest  appeal  is  directed  to  the  emotions. 
Curiosity,  ambition,  love,  and  pride  are  among  the  strongest 
emotions  and  those  most  commonly  appealed  to.  Fear  is  even 
stronger,  but  is  dangerous  except  in  the  case  of  articles  bought 
for  protection  and  the  like. 

Emotional  appeals  frequently  are  made  through  the  senses. 
In  fact,  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  sometimes  between  a  sense 
appeal  and  an  emotional  appeal.  The  advertising  of  musical 
instruments  usually  blends  the  two  and  it  is  hard  to  say  where 
the  sound  of  the  instrument  leaves  off  and  the  joy  or  pathos 
of  its  effect  begins. 

Direct  Appeals  to  the  Emotions 

The  simplest  type  of  direct  appeal  to  the  emotions  is  that 
known  as  the  inspirational  type  and  used  for  correspondence 
school  courses  and  the  like.  The  reader  is  addressed  as 
"  you  "  and  is  exhorted  to  get  out  of  the  rut  and  become  a 
trained  man.  He  is  reminded  of  his  duty  to  himself,  his 
parents,  or  his  family.  He  is  reminded  of  his  need  of  in- 
creased pay  and  shown  the  way  to  get  it.  By  these  and  an 
infinite  variety  of  other  appeals  to  ambition,  love,  pride,  or 
acquisitiveness  he  is  made  to  desire  the  education,  the  set  of 
books,  or  the  article,  whatever  it  may  be. 

In  such  appeals  it  is  necessary  to  put  the  reader  in  a  fa- 
miliar situation  or  one  which  it  is  natural  to  imagine  —  such 
situations  as  counting  the  contents  of  the  pay  envelope,  figur- 


HUMAN-INTEREST  COPY  21$ 

ing  expenses,  seeing  another  person  promoted,  or  the  like. 
In  the  case  of  the  business  man  it  is  Hkely  to  be  perplexity  over 
some  difficult  problem;  in  the  case  of  a  woman,  the  discomfort 
and  inconvenience  of  sweeping  or  washing  clothes  by  old 
methods,  etc.  In  any  case  the  headline  must  be  concrete 
and  strike  a  responsive  chord  in  those  who  are  sought  as 
buyers. 

This  direct  appeal  is  capable  of  many  uses  but  it  has  to  be 
carefully  handled.  One  of  the  chief  dangers  is  that  it  may 
easily  have  the  suggestion  of  preaching  and  it  is  human  nature 
to  resent  advice  gratuitously  offered. 

Dramatic  Form 

Because  of  the  general  aversion  to  preaching,  the  dramatic 
form  is  sometimes  a  safer  method  than  the  direct  appeal. 
Here  the  advertisement  becomes  a  monologue  by  some  pic- 
tured or  otherwise  visualized  character.  Exhortation  or  advice 
is  given  by  him,  not  by  the  writer,  and  is  therefore  less  likely 
to  offend.  Moreover,  the  use  of  this  character  has  greater 
realism  and  a  stronger  personality.  It  gives  a  chance  for 
colloquial  language  such  as  might  be  used  in  ordinary  con- 
versation. 

The  monologue  should  begin  with  a  tense  moment  or  a  cru- 
cial situation  in  the  life  of  the  person  addressed.  It  must  be 
absolutely  concrete.  Such  a  beginning  as  "  It  is  a  great  op- 
portunity "  or  "  Here  is  your  chance  "  is  not  strong  enough. 
The  best  headline  is  usually  in  the  form  of  a  question  or  an- 
swer to  an  unspoken  question  of  the  reader.  The  advertise- 
ment on  page  217  illustrates  an  effective  method  of  writing 
monologue  copy. 

The  dialogue  is  only  a  minor  variation  of  the  monologue  and 
the  same  general  principles  apply  to  it.  It  is  hard  to  handle 
effectively,  however,  because  it  has  greater  tendency  toward 
length.     There  is  a  temptation  also  to  have  opposing  views 


2l6  ADVERTISING  COPY 

presented  and  although  the  interests  of  the  advertiser  ulti- 
mately triumph  in  the  copy,  there  is  a  chance  that  the  argu- 
ment of  the  other  side  may  prevail  with  the  reader.  Dialogue 
heightens  the  reality  by  giving  more  of  the  flesh  and  blood 
quality  to  the  characters.  It  is  especially  good  in  appeals  to 
sentiment. 

The  Story  Form 

The  story  form  is  one  of  the  safest  and  most  widely  useful 
of  all  human  interest  appeals.  It  is  written  in  much  the  same 
way  as  the  stories  in  the  magazines  but  instead  of  beginning 
with  the  most  important  facts  about  the  article  it  begins 
logically  with  the  incident  that  set  the  story  in  motion.  In- 
stead of  saying,  '*  This  is  the  story  of  a  man  who  got  a  higher 
position  1)ecause  of  his  correspondence  school  training,"  it 
begins,  "  '  ^*ou  are  wanted  in  the  Board  Room.'  This  is  the 
message  that  Rert  \\'ilHanis  received,  etc."  It  is  not  until  later 
that  the  reader  is  told  why  A\^illiams  was  called  before  the 
board  of  directors  and  made  treasurer  of  the  company.  In 
rare  cases  it  is  effective  to  tell  the  purpose  of  the  story  first. 

In  such  a  story  as  this  the  facts  stated  must  be  absolutely 
credible.  If  they  are  true,  so  much  the  better,  but  at  least 
they  must  appear  true,  and  as  a  rule  this  is  impossible  unless 
they  are  founded  upon  truth. 

Sentiment  and  Sentimentality 

In  all  human-interest  appeals  it  is  necessary  to  recognize 
the  difference  between  sentiment  and  sentimentality.  Senti- 
mentality means  an  attempt  to  arouse  emotion  without  an  ade- 
quate cause.  It  is  easy  to  make  human-interest  copy  slushy, 
mushy,  and  ineffectix'e.  Readers  do  not  care  to  read  an  ad- 
vertisement that  is  full  of  extravagant  praises  of  a  product, 
even  thou'^h  they  are  represented  as  coming  from  the  lips  of 
some   third   person,   nor   do   they    feel   sympathetic   with   the 


"There's  only  one  difference  that  makes  my 
salary  $3,000  and  yours  $2,000.  You  know 
your  own  work — and  that's  all.  I've  been 
studying  the  whole  field  of  business. 

"I  know  finance  and  accounting  and  organi- 
zation as  well  as  selling  and  collecting.  I  know 
business  as  a  whole.  You  don't.  That's 
blunt,  Jim,  but  that's  the  truth. 

"Of  course,  I  didn't  have  experience  in  all 
these  departments.  But  1  got  the  experience  of 
other  men.  I  studied  it  every  minute  I  could 
spare.    I  am  doing  it  still,  and  intend  to  keep  on. 

"You  can  do  it,  too. 

"The  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute  gives  a 
Course  and  Service  meant  for  just  such  fellows 
as  us. 

"It  was  planned  by  progressive  educators  like 
Joseph   French   Johnson,   the   Dean  of  New 


York  University  School  of  Commerce,  and 
Jeremiah  W.  Jenks,  of  New  York  University, 
and  by  business  leaders  like  Frank  A.  Vander- 
lip.  President  of  the  National  City  Bank,  Elijah 
W.  Sells,  of  Haskins  &  Sells,  public  ac- 
countants, and  Henry  R.  Towne,  of  Yale  6^ 
Towne. 

"They  planned  it  right.  Then  they  got  the  belt  ex- 
perts they  couM — men  of  national  reputation — to  conduct 
the  Course  and  the  Service. 

"A  lot  o(  men  are  taking  it  —  Alfred  I.  duPont,  Presi- 
dent of  the  DuPonl  Powder  Company;  Scth  Thomas, 
Jr.,  of  the  Seth  Thomas  Clock  Company;  EL  F.  Hcrshey, 
of  the  f-fershey  Chocolate  Co.,  and  others  of  their  stamp. 

*if  it  is  good  for  these  men,  it  is  good  for  us.  I  know 
it  has  done  wonders  for  me.  I  couldn't  have  gotten  such 
a  knowledge  of  business  in  a  lifetime  in  any  other  way. 

"But  I'm  not  going  to  try  to  tell  you  all  about  it.  Write 
to  them.  They  have  a  little  book,  'The  Ability  to  t-landle 
Men,"  that  gives  you  the  whole  story.  And  it's  mighty 
interesting.     Send  for  a  copy." 


Alexander  Hamilton  Institute 


Alter  Place,  New  York  City 


The  monologue  form  gives  human  interest  to  a  reason-why  story 


217. 


2l8  ADVERTISING  COPY 

monologue  artist  when  he  expresses  himself  in  the  follow ing 
impassioned  way : 

And  Betty !  When  the  last  note  ends  as  softly  as  a  fall- 
ing rose  leaf,  Betty  sits  there  with  her  dear  little  head 
drooped,  her  face  flushed  and  rosy,  the  most  splendid  dewy 
moisture  in  her  eyes,  and  she  just  wants  to  put  her  head  on 
my  shoulder,  and  I  know  it  and  I'm  King.  I  say  it  gently, 
"  Betty,  come  here,"  and  without  a  word  she  comes.  She 
cuddles  on  my  big  awkward  knees  and  her  head  slips  into 
that  place  on  my  shoulder,  and  all  I  can  say  is,  "  Oh,  my 
dear.     My  very,  very,  very  dearest  dear," 

There  is  a  place  for  sentiment  in  copy.  Every  one  knows 
that  buying  is  most  common  before  the  Christmas  holidays 
and  that  a  large  percentage  of  the  purchases  for  the  family 
throughout  the  year  are  made  on  sentiment.  But  there  is  no 
room  for  sentimentality.  It  may  be  added  that  the  nature  of 
suggestion  itself  indicates  that  in  every  appeal  there  is  much 
that  may  be  left  unsaid. 

Negative  Appeals 

Writers  have  been  warned  so  generally  against  the  use  of  a 
negative  appeal  that  it  is  more  necessary  to  give  a  defense 
of  it  here  than  to  repeat  the  reasons  why  it  should  not  be  used. 

It  is  true  that  the  buying  impulse  is  not  commonly  associated 
with  unpleasant  feelings.  Certainly  no  one  would  buy  a  cedar 
chest  because  he  was  reminded  of  Samuel  Rogers'  pathetic 
Ginevra  story.  On  the  other  hand,  many  articles  are  l)ought 
only  because  they  will  protect,  and  protection  implies  that 
there  is  some  danger  to  be  guarded  against. 

In  selling  sprinkler  systems  and  other  forms  of  fire  pre- 
vention, the  appeal  to  the  sense  of  fear  is  often  necessary. 
It  may  easily  be  overdone,  but  if  handled  with  care  should 
prove  effective.  The  example  on  page  220  will  illustrate  the 
effective  use  of  an  appeal  to  the  sense  of  fear. 


HERE  is  how  a  good  thing 
will  force  its  way  to  the 
front.  For  a  long  time 
there  was  only  one  "Bulldog" 
Gillette  Razor  in  existence. 
Then  there  were  two,  then 
seven,  and  now  everybody 
wants  one 

The  first  "Bulldog"  was  de- 
signed for  the  Chief  of  the 
Company  to  gmeet  his  desire 
for  a  stocky  bulldog  handle.  He 

liked  it  at  once.  Said  it  shaved  better — 
new  grip  and  balance— gives  more 
weight  and  swing  to  the  stroke. 

Other  members  of  the  organization* 
adopted  the  "Bulldog" :  it  was  evident 


that  the  extra  weight  and  different  bal> 
ance  are  fundamentaL 

"Then  men  everywhere  were  given  a 
chance  at  the  "Bulldog".  They  saw 
the  point  instantly.  Result,  the  most 
widespread  and  immediate  success  of 
any  new  model  ever  put  out  by  the 
Gillette  Company. 

It  is  making  thousands  of  new  friends 
for  the  Gillette  and  regular  users  are 
finding  it  well  worth  while  to  buy  the 
new  "Bulldog." 

Contained  in  an  oval  case  of  Gray 
Antique  Leather,  with  Blade  Boxes  to 
match,  containing  12  double-edged 
Gillette  Blades  (24  s/iaw'ng  edges).  With 
Triple  Silver  plated  Razor,  $5.00; 
with  Gold  plated  Retzor,  $6.00.  See  the 
"Bulldog"  at  your  Gillette  dealer's 
anywhere. 


GILLETTE  SAFETY  RAZOR  COMPANY,  BOSTON 


The  story  is  well  told  but  would  be  helped  by  the  use  of  a  more 

ijiteresting  illustration 

219 


Save  The  Lives  of  Little  Children 
from  Holocausts  like  Binghamton 

Merchants,  Manulacturers,  Parents,  Public  Officials:— 
Consider  This  One  Absolute  Fire  Prevention 

WHENEVER  your  child  goes  into  a  school  building,  store  or  factory — 
remember   that  water   is  the  one   absolute  fire-proofing.      Whenever 
you  go  into  a  theatre,  "movie"  show,  or  steamboat,  or  lie  down  in  a 
hotel  to  sleep  —  remember  that  water  is  the  one  absolute  fire-proofing. 

And,  merchants  and  manufacturers,  whenever  you  send  hundreds  of  human 
lives  into  great  buildings  to  work — remember  that  water  is  the  one  absolute 
fire-proofing.     Then  remember  that 


nell  Sprinkler  System  >utom«ticalty  surroundt 
^re  with   a   drenctiing   apray  of  water,  putting 

'  inch  of  a  build- 
vigil-lhat  it  finds 
of  fire— all  at  the 


irl«  burned  to  death  in  the      'f'''*  hoi. 


seekers  burned  to  death  i 


I  horror,  where  31  girU  > 


ed  to  death  in  the 


uits  never  would  have  happened  had  the 
itomatic  Sprinkler  System  been  there,  wait' 

ing  and  ready  to  drown  the  first  little  tongue  of  flame. 

Out  of  the  16.539  fires  which  the  Crmnell  System  ha. 

extinguished  not  a  life  was  lost. 


Grinnell  Automatic  Sprinklers 

reduce  fire  danger  96',  55,^.  Because  of  this  curtailing  of  fife  danger  to  almost  nothing, 
Insurance  Companies  are  glad  to  reduce  your  fire  premiums  40  to  90%.  This  large 
decrease  pays  for  the  Grinnell  System  in  three  to  seven  years.  After  it  has  paid  for  itself, 
the  premium  reduction  continues.     It  is  a  profit  of  15  to  50^^  on  the  cost  of  installation. 

Therefore  Building  Owners  Actually  Get  Paid  For  Saving  the 
Lives  of  Little  Children  From  Holocausts  Like  Binghamton 

GENERAL  FIRE  EXTINGUISHER  COMPANY 

277  WEST  EXCHANGE  STREET,  PROVIDENCE,  R.  I. 

Branches  in  2S  Leading  Cities  of  U.S.  and  Canada 


FIND  OUT  YOUR  PROFIT  FROM 
GRIN  NELLS 

BY  nUJNG  OUT  THIS  BLANK  AND  SENDING  fT  TO  US- 
NO  OBLIGATION  ENTAILED 
Inlomution  |iv*n  lu  w>U  h*  b.ld  ■tndl)'  confid.niUl 
Total  float  aitoo/  tulld»V  to  to  oqulpptj  (itdoJlit  Uotimii) 


Kt^,fJKl^M 

JJ-* 

AJJ^» 

WHAT  THE  GRINNELL 
AUTOMATIC  SPRINKLER  IS 

A  system  ofoverhcad  piping  on  which  ingenious 
nechanisms,  called  sprinkler  "heads,"  are  placed  at 
ntervals.  When  the  temperature  under  any  head 
;ets  unusually  warm,  the  head  automatically  c/i/n/, 
eleasing  a  powerful,  drenching  spray  of  water  on 
he firc,andscndsinafirc alarm.  Malcesthc firc«ffl- 
i//ittA-/(/^beforciihasthcslighiestchanccto  spread. 


Justifiable  use  of  an  appeal  to  tlie  sense  of  fear 
220 


/  T-head  motor  4X5  M 

40-65  H.  P. 
All    moving    parts 
.   enclosed. 
Electric  Starter  and 

Horn. 
Left    drive,    center 

control. 
Bosch  Magneto. 
132-iilch  wheel  base. 


The  Ruler  of  a  Kingdom 

The  man  who  sits  at  the  steering  wheel  of  his  new  Chalmers  "Six,"  rules  an  empire. 
Here  within  reach  of  his  arrh  isa  little  world  all  his  own.  Power,  speed,  endurance — 
the  forces  that  make  for  change  and  enjoynient^ire  under  the  sway  of  his  scepter. 


Let's  Take  a  Day  Off 

Don't  you  feel  like  cutting  the  traces 
nnd  getting  away  to  the  hills  ?  Let's 
strike  out  —  what  do  you  say  ? 

Push  the  switch  of  the  electric  starter. 
There — the  engine  is  running  with  scarcely 
a  sound.  It's  the  silent  Entz  starter — the 
best  yet — it  never  fails. 

Floating  Away  Like  a  Swan 

Close  your  eyes  now  as  we  let  in  the  clutch  and 
ex  if  you  can  tell  when  we  start.  This  new  clutch 
b  a  wonder.  It  grips  so  firmly,  yet  so  gently,  that 
we  move  away  with  the  silent  grace  of  the  swah. 

Notice  how  flexible  the  power — mounting  quickly 
to  20,  30,  40  miles  an  hour.  Now  we  throttle  it 
down  to  a  crawl,  without  shifting  gears. 

This  wondrous  flexibility  is  in  the  motor  itself. 
There's  no  need  to  resort  to  cumbersome  double 
gearing. 

Easy  Chair  Comfort 

Have  you  noticed  that  you  don't  feel  the  vibra- 
tion you  do  in  most  cars?  The  six  cylinders  of  this 
Master  Motor  give  an  unbroken  stream  of  power. 
So  there's  a  smoothness  impossible  in  any  four"; 
a  lack  of  vibration  that  adds  years  to  the  life  of 
the  car. 

The  new  "Six"  costs  but  little  more  than  a 
"four"  at  the  start  and  a  lot  less  in  the  end. 


A  Little  Friend  In  Need 

Try  to  stall  this  motor  once.  Throttle  it  down 
to  a,  snail's  pace — run  it  into,  that  deep  sand  ahead. 

It's  no  use — this_motor  is  unstallable.  Even 
should  the  gas  be  cut  off  accidentally,  the  electric 
starter — always  on  duty — keeps  the  motor  runnipg. 
It  can  never  "go  dead"  in  a  crowd  or  on  a  crossing. 

Beauty  That  Has  Utility 

Don't  shrink  as  we  run  through  this  stretch  of 
mud.  Those  graceful  oval  fenders  sit  so  close  not 
a  drop  of  mud  can  reach  you.  The  txtra  wide 
doors  fit  like  a  watch  case.  The  long  underslung 
springs  cushion  the  bumps  of  the  roughest  road. 

Left  hand  drive  and  center  control  leaves  room 
to  enter  on  either  side. 

Put  This  Car  To  The  Test 

Let  our  dealer  take  you  out  on  our  Standard  Test 
Ride.  It  is  our  way  of  proving  to  you  that  this  car 
will  do  things  no  other  car  will  do. 

But  first  write  for  our  literature.  Get  all  the 
facts. 


Roaditer  .  . 
Fonr  PuscEger 
FiTe  PasKDger 


$2175  Six  Paxenier 
.  2175  Coape  .  .  . 
.    2175       Limoosiae .    . 


$2275 
2850 
3600 


Wire  wheels  $80  extra  (five) 
All  bodies  interchangeable 


Qialmers  Motor  Companij.  Detroit 

Human  interest  makes  the  reason-why  Argument  more  effective 


221 


222  ADVERTISING  COPY 

In  this  case  we  have  the  direct  appeal  to  the  emotions  by 
exhortation;  on  page  52  we  have  the  unusual  example  of  copy 
in  the  form  of  a  plea,  or  prayer. 

Atmosphere 

Most  human-interest  copy  gains  its  force  not  from  a  direct 
appeal  of  any  kind,  but  from  the  association  of  ideas  and  these 
so  vague  as  to  be  difficult  of  analysis.  In  speaking  of  such 
copy  we  find  it  convenient  sometimes  to  designate  it  as  copy 
with  atmosphere.  Silverware,  for  example,  is  surrounded 
with  an  atmosphere  of  refinement,  of  antiquity,  or  even  of 
definite  periods  of  art.  A  great  many  of  the  articles  sold  to 
women,  especially  through  the  high  priced  publications,  are 
made  attractive  because  of  the  atmosphere  in  the  display  and 
copy. 

The  chapters  on  display  in  this  volume  will  consider  the 
suggestion  given  by  colors,  shapes,  historic  ornament  and  the 
like.  In  the  copy  the  suggestion  is  ordinarily  that  of  the  in- 
dividual words  and  will  be  considered  in  the  chapter  on  words. 

It  is  human  interest  of  this  kind  that  most  frequently  appears 
in  reason-why  copy  and  the  element  of  human  interest  is  al- 
ways a  force  that  strengthens  the  power  of  such  copy.  One 
of  the  most  valuable  opportunities  for  this  combination  of  rea- 
son-why with  human-interest  is  found  in  the  advertising  of 
automobiles.     The  example  on  page  221  will  illustrate. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

SMALLER  UNITS  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY 

Technique  in  Advertising  Copy 

Right  thinking  is  the  most  essential  thing  in  writing  adver- 
tising copy.  The  choice  of  method  and  the  organization  and 
construction  have  more  to  do  with  the  success  of  an  advertise- 
ment than  matters  of  technique.  Numerous  cases  can  be  cited, 
nevertheless,  where  two  pieces  of  copy  alike  in  conception  and 
general  construction,  and  used  under  similar  conditions,  dif- 
fered fifty  to  one  hundred  per  cent  in  resultfulness.  The 
differences  were  mainly  in  sentence  structure  and  diction.  Ob- 
viously, technique  is  important.  In  the  smallest  unit  of  all, 
the  word,  often  lies  the  difference  between  an  insipid  com- 
munication and  a  vital  appeal. 

The  smaller  units  of  composition  —  especially  the  word  and 
sentence  —  are  best  studied  in  revision.  The  writer  should 
not  give  too  much  thought  to  them  while  in  the  throes  of  con- 
struction. If  he  does,  he  will  hesitate  and  flounder  and  the 
result  will  be  labored.  He  should  have  at  his  command  a  broad 
vocabulary  and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  principles  of 
effective  sentence  structure.  When  actually  writing  he  should 
focus  his  attention  upon  his  message  and  the  person  to  whom 
he  would  transmit  it.  Afterwards,  he  can  go  over  his  work 
to  see  its  errors  and  obscurities  —  to  see  where  transposition 
would  add  force,  where  the  change  of  a  word  would  brighten 
up  a  dull  passage.  He  can  then  revise  it  for  greater  effective- 
ness and  incidentally  gain  power  for  his  next  attempt. 

It  is  necessary  here  to  give  some  principles  of  diction,  sen- 

223 


224  ADVERTISING  COPY 

tence  structure  and  paragraphing.  They  are  much  the  same 
for  copy  as  for  other  fields  of  composition,  but  have  certain 
differences.  Matters  of  technique,  moreover,  need  to  be  re- 
viewed constantly,  even  by  experienced  writers. 

The  word  is  the  smallest  unit  of  composition  and  should 
therefore  be  considered  first,  even  though  the  sentence  is  more 
logically  the  unit  of  thought.  The  word  is  a  symbol.  It 
represents  an  image  or  conception,  just  as  a  sign  in  a  signal 
code  does.  It  is  valueless  except  there  be  a  community  of  un- 
derstanding between  the  writer  and  reader.  Unless  a  word 
represents  the  same  thing  to  both  of  them,  it  cannot  convey 
the  message  intended. 

Good  Use 

The  first  requirement  of  words,  therefore,  is  that  they  should 
be  in  good  use.  Good  use  is  the  acceptance  of  a  word  or  ex- 
pression by  the  majority  of  authorities.  In  the  case  of  literary 
composition  these  authorities  are  writers  and  speakers  whose 
position  and  reputation  are  unquestionable.  In  advertising 
copy  the  standard  is  somewhat  broader.  It  includes  the  ma- 
jority of  the  reading  public.  Good  use  is  crystallized  in  the 
dictionary  and  in  the  textbooks  on  rhetoric.  These,  however, 
lag  a  little  behind  actual  good  use.  The  writer  of  literature 
is  content  to  lag  behind  with  them.  The  writer  of  advertise- 
ments, however,  is  entitled  to  more  liberty  and  takes  it.  Some- 
times he  is  in  advance  of  the  standard  of  good  use;  rarely  is 
he  behind  it.  If  his  words  and  phrases  are  understood  and 
accepted  as  correct  by  the  majority  of  readers  thev  are 
good. 

The  ordinary  requirements  of  good  use  are  that  a  word 
should  be  present,  national,  and  reputable.  Language  con- 
tinually changes.  Words  that  were  commonly  accepted  ves- 
terday  may  be  obsolete  today;  such  as  yclept,  charqcr,  and 
yore.     The  copy-writer  must  avoid  these  and  even  such  words 


SMALLER  UNITS  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  225 

as  smite,  steed,  and  aver.  His  language  must  be  up-to-date; 
it  must  contain  only  words  that  the  average  man  understands 
and  uses.  On  the  other  hand,  he  must  generally  avoid  slang 
—  such  words  as  cincJi,  con,  dub,  etc.  Even  though  they  are 
frequently  used  by  the  man  of  the  street,  they  are  limited  to 
a  temporary  existence.  Frequently  the  man  who  uses  them 
holds  them  in  contempt. 

In  the  same  way  the  writer  of  advertising  copy  should  avoid 
French  or  other  foreign  words  that  have  not  been  Anglicized, 
words  that  are  peculiar  to  certain  localities  only,  and  words 
that  are  vulgar  corruptions  of  good  English  words,  such  as, 
alright,  orate,  and  pants.  Naturally  he  must  see  that  the  words 
he  uses  are  in  the  accepted  sense.  He  must  not  confuse  affect 
with  effect,  suspect  with  expect,  accept  wnth  except,  etc. 

It  may  be  felt  that  the  advertisement  writer  has  to  work 
within  narrow  limits  and  that  his  ideas  are  likely  to  be  cramped 
and  confined.  To  a  certain  extent  this  is  true.  It  should  be 
remembered,  however,  that  advertising  is  not  primarily  an 
educational  pastime ;  it  is  judged  by  results.  The  reader  must 
receive  the  message  if  he  is  to  respond,  and  receive  it  without 
having  his  attention  distracted  by  the  medium.  The  words 
and  sentences  should  be  transparent.  ]\Iost  ideas  can  be  con- 
veyed by  words  that  are  neither  too  new  nor  too  old  —  English 
words  of  general  acceptance  throughout  the  country. 

It  is  almost  an  axiom  that  words  in  advertising  copy  should 
be  simple.  They  should  come  within  the  comprehension  of 
the  least  intelligent  and  poorest  educated  of  possible  buyers. 
The  advertisements  in  a  newspaper  should  contain  no  word 
that  might  not  be  found  in  the  rending  columns.  The  simplest 
words  are  those  we  ordinarily  call  Anglo-Saxon  words  —  the 
kind  we  have  used  since  childhood.  TheN'  should  be  gi\en 
preference.  Pretentiousness  at  any  rate  should  be  avoided. 
Emollient  and  detergent  have  little  meaning  to  the  average 
reader. 


226  ADVERTISING  COPY 

Adaptation  to  the  Reader 

Although  our  language  is  more  nearly  national  than  that  of 
almost  any  other  country  —  largely  because  of  national  ad- 
vertising —  still  there  are  sectional  and  class  differences.  The 
standard  of  good  use  in  Boston  is  slightly  different  from  that 
of  Seattle  or  Galveston.  Advertisements  addressed  only  to 
limited  groups  may  use  language  that  is  peculiar  to  that  group. 
In  fact,  they  should  use  it  because  it  establishes  a  community 
of  sympathy  between  the  writer  and  the  reader.  It  indicates 
that  they  stand  on  a  level. 

In  writing  advertisements  that  appeal  to  men  only,  such  as 
advertisements  for  smoking  tobacco,  it  is  possible  to  use  even 
slang  that  would  be  totally  unsuitable  for  articles  that  appeal 
to  both  sexes.  In  advertisements  to  society  \7omen  French 
expressions  may  sometimes  be  used.  More  important  still, 
advertisements  to  business  men,  medical  men,  lawyers,  engi- 
neers, farmers  and  to  many  other  groups  of  persons  who  have  a 
peculiar  class  lingo  may  be  written  in  this  peculiar  lingo.  This 
point  will  be  discussed  more  fully  in  Chapter  XX,  "  Copy  as 
Affected  by  Audience." 

It  may  be  set  down  here,  however,  that  one  of  the  great  ad- 
vances advertising  is  making  today  is  in  the  adaptation  of  ad- 
vertising language  to  readers.  It  is  no  longer  necessary  to  in- 
sist upon  the  strict  correctness  that  savors  of  pedantry.  Every 
principle  of  word-use  and  sentence-structure  must  be  con- 
sidered in  relation  to  this  principle  of  adaptation.  The  writer 
of  an  advertisement  can  address  his  readers  in  almost  the  same 
language  that  he  would  use  in  talking  to  them  in  a  convention. 

Exactness 

Words  should  not  only  be  in  good  use  and  correctly  used  — 
considering  adaptation  to  the  readers  —  they  should  also  be 
exact.  If  the  writer  means  to  assert,  he  should  not  contend  or 
declare  or  claim  or  state  or  advise.     He  should  know  the  fine 


I 


I 


How  Very  Comfortable! 

This  is  the  sort  of  feeling  that  you  have  after  a  bath  or 
a  wash  with  Pears — a  feeling  of  natural  freshness — the  exhil- 
aration due  to  a  sense  of  perfect  cleanliness — the  glow  and 
delight  of  a  healthy  stimulating  influence. 

Pears  is  composed  entirely  of  natural  saponaceous  in- 
gredients of  the  highest  emollient  and  detergent  properties. 
It  is  so  daintily  soothing  and  softening  to  the  skin  surface, 
and  it  promotes  in  a  pre-eminent  degree  that  natural  beauty 
of  complexion  which  is  universally  admired. 

Pears'  Soap 

JBest  aid  to  the  Health  and  Beauty  of  the  Skin 

Matchless  for 

the  Complexion 


Pears  is  the  Most 
Economical  of  Toilet 
Soaps  because  of 
ts  Double-Lasting 
ualities. 


i 


S; 


i 


i 


OF  ALL   SCSNTED  SOAPS   PEARS'    OTTO   OF  ROSE  JS    THE   BEST 


Weak  arrangement  of  material,  with  blind  headline  and  uninteresting 
copy,  composed  of  pretentious  generalities 


227 


Resi  nol  Soap 

improves  complexions 


Try  this  easy  way  to  clear  your 
skin:  Bathe  your  face,  for  several 
minutes  with  Resinol  Soap  and 
warm  water,  working  the  creamy 
lather  into  the  skin  gently  with  the 
finger-tips.  Then  wash  off  with 
more  Resinol  Soap  and  warm  water, 
finishing  with  a  dash  of  clear  cold 
water  to  close  the  pores. 


the  healing,  antiseptic  Resinol  bal- 
sams soothe  and  cleanse  the  pores, 
remove  pimples  and  blackheads,  and 
leave  the  complexion  clear,  fresh 
and  velvety.  When  the  skin  is  in 
very  bad  condition,  apply  a  little 
Resinol  Ointment  and  let  it  remaia 
on  ten  minutes  before  the  final  wash- 
ing with  Resinol  Soap. 


Do  this   once    or    twice    a    day,   and  Rtslnol  Soapcosisbutlwcmy-fiicctmsit  all  dru«is<un4 

.,,    ,  •    t        i'    1  '11  drilcrs  in  loilcl    eooJs.       For   a    guestroom    size  trial  cake, 

you    Will    be    astonished    how    quickly        „me  to  Ccpi.  Sl-C,  Kcjlnol,  Baltimore,  mj. 


Simple,  strong  layout  with   specific  definite  language 


228 


SMALLER  UNITS  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  229 

distinction  between  these  words  and  be  sure  that  he  has  chosen 
the  one  that  conveys  his  exact  shade  of  meaning. 

Generahties  are  to  be  avoided  and  specific  words  used  in- 
stead. Words  like  best,  highest  grade,  first  class,  and  the  Hke, 
have  been  used  so  extensively  that  they  no  longer  have  any 
definiteness  of  meaning.  Words  should  show  hozu  the  article 
is  best.  Nine  times  out  of  ten  an  advertisement  that  is  weak 
and  unconvincing  would  be  greatly  strengthened  by  substitut- 
ing specific  words  for  the  glittering  generalities. 

Exactness  is  especially  helped  by  concreteness  of  language. 
Concrete  words  carry  a  sense  image.  They  hammer  the  idea 
into  our  minds  by  giving  it  to  us  in  the  same  form  our  eyes 
or  ears  or  fingers  would  perceive  it.  "  Small  boys  are  lugging 
off  our  wash  suits  in  great  spirits  "  is  stronger  than  "  Children 
are  carrying  off  our  wash  suits."  So,  instead  of  writing 
"  We  have  secured  that  pleasant  smell  which  is  peculiar  to  the 
violet,"  we  write  "  W^e  have  captured  that  sweet,  elusive  odor 
that  has  made  the  violet  universally  beloved." 

Figurative  language  frequently  makes  for  even  greater  ex- 
actness. We  say  "  This  furnace  will  not  eat  up  your  coal ; 
it  will  cut  your  bills  in  half."  Advertising  men  habitually 
talk  in  figures  of  speech.  They  talk  of  a  copy  with  punch,  with 
smash,  and  of  copy  that  gets  across.  Figurative  language  is 
due  not  so  much  to  a  desire  for  exactness  as  to  a  desire  for 
picturesqueness.  It  has  to  be  used  carefully.  Figures  of 
speech  must  be  pleasant  and  close  to  the  reader's  experience. 
They  must  be  natural,  and  they  must  not  be  mixed.  When 
a  writer  says,  "  Striking  the  keynote  upon  the  first  cost  iS' 
another  essential  and  is  hitting  tJie  nail  on  the  Iiead  -u'Jien  reap- 
ing a  sainng  in  your  savings  account,"  we  feel  that  he  has  not 
seen  any  image  himself.  Figures  of  speech  should  not  be 
strained.  When  a  writer  speaks  of  the  motion  of  an  auto- 
mobile as  like  a  caress,  we  feel  that  he  has  gone  a  little  too  far. 

It  may  help  in  summing  up  these  requirements  for  exact 


DONT  SAY  UNDERWEAR.SAY  MUNSINGWEAR 


THE  MAMMOTH  MODERN   MUNSINGWEAR   MILL 

^AUNSING  '*  ^^^  mark  of  perfection  in  underwear.  It  is  made  under 
VA/p  A  ta  manufacturing  conditions  tfiat  are  ideal.  Wfien"you  put  on 
■''  a  Munsing  Union  Stiit,  you  do  so  witfi  the  sissurance  tfiat  it  is 

clean  and  sanitary,  fit  to  wear  next  the  skin.  In  Munsingwear,  you  get  gar- 
ments that  are  guaranteed  perfect  in  workmanship  and  material.  Because  of 
fine  quality  and  unusual  durability  and  washabibty  and  the  perfect  way  m  which 
it  fits  and  covers  the  form,  Munsingwear  has  received  nation  wide  endorsement 
The  magnitude  of  this  endorsement  is  indicated  by  the  magnitude  of  the  Mun- 
singwear mill  and  the  number  of  Munsingwear  garments  produced  daily.  This 
year,  a  production  of  over  8,000,000  Munsingwear  garments  will  be  required 
to  supply  the  demand  from  trade  already  established.  Millions  of  the  most 
discriminating  men  and  women  in  America  wear  Munsingwear  with  complete 
satisfaction.  The  confidence  of  millions  of  people  in  Munsingwear  quality, 
their  faith  in  Munsingwe2ur  ideals,  their  satisfaction  in  Munsingwear  itself,  their 
continuous  and  repeated  buying  of  Munsingwear,  their  dciily  proof  of  its  supen- 
ority  in  actual  use,—  these  are  the  things  that  have  made  possible  the  mammoth, 
modem  Munsingwear  mill  illustrated  below. 


>'^"-'.'N. 


t  ff?B  C?r^  ree^  rr^  g^s  wrfm  rrrw  mem  tm  rsn  r^m  mm  f*"  'vm  ."^  «■**  ■»  *»  ,\id 


Copy  weak  because  of  lack  of  paragraphs,  continual  use  of  broad  gener- 
alizations, and  valueless  alliteration 


230 


SMALLER  UNITS  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  231 

diction  to  see  how  a  single  idea  is  improved  by  being  expressed 
in  a  specific  rather  than  a  general  word,  a  concrete  rather  than 
an  abstract  one,  a  figurative  rather  than  a  literal  one.  Take 
the  verb  go.  This  is  general.  We  make  it  specific  by  saying 
walk,  run,  or  ride.  It  becomes  concrete  when  we  say  stride, 
or  shuffle,  or  stumble.  It  becomes  figurative  in  the  Big  Ben 
advertisement,  which  says,  "  These  men  szinng  down  to  their 
work,"  and  in  the  automobile  advertisement,  which  says  it 
"  -floats  up  the  hill  on  high  gear."  The  gain  in  power  through 
these  successive  stages  becomes  apparent  if  you  try  to  substi- 
tute the  more  general  word  go,  in  place  of  swing  or  float. 

Suggestion 

The  distinction  between  words  is  not  purely  a  matter  of 
their  exact  meaning  or  denotation,  but  is  largely  a  question  of 
their  suggestion  or  connotation.  Every  word  has  its  mean- 
ing determined  by  the  agreement  of  people.  It  also  has  its 
associations,  which  are  peculiar  to  the  individual  and  are  de- 
termined largely  by  its  sound,  its  degree  of  dignity,  and  the 
associations  which  have  accompanied  it  in  previous  experience. 
Some  words  that  mean  literally  what  we  intend  them  to  mean 
should  be  avoided  because  of  their  unfortunate  suggestion. 
Other  words  are  strengthened  by  this  element. 

Sound 

The  sound  itself  has  an  important  effect.  Many  words 
originated  in  imitative  sound.  The  writer  of  advertising 
should  not  make  too  careful  an  attempt  to  suit  the  sound  of 
the  words  to  the  sense.  He  should,  however,  avoid  words 
that  do  not  sound  right. 

For  our  purposes  there  are  two  classes  of  sounds:  liquid, 
free  sounds;  and  harsh,  closed  sounds.  The  liquid  sounds 
are  those  in  which  open  vowels  and  such  consonants  as  I,  m,  n, 
r  predominate.     They  suggest  speed  and  lightness.     They  en- 


232  ADVERTISING  COPY 

able  the  reader  to  pass  quickly  from  one  word  to  the  next. 
They  may  be  said  to  be  oily. 

Harsh  sounds  are  those  in  which  close  vowels  and  such  con- 
sonants as  k,  g,  li,  .Y,  etc.,  predominate.  They  give  the  im- 
pression of  strength  and  slowness.  They  may  be  said  to  sup- 
ply friction,  because  they  make  a  physical  barrier  to  the  reader's 
passage  over  the  thought.  They  impress  the  words  individu- 
ally upon  the  reader's  mind. 

When  we  speak  of  "  the  most  delicate  chocolate  that  ever 
tickled  a  candy  palate  or  watered  a  candy  tongue  "  the  phrase 
ripples  along  with  the  suggestion  of  daintiness  that  the  thought 
requires.  When  we  say,  "  the  chords  crash  forth."  we  hear 
the  thundering  music  of  the  piano.  The  writer  need  not  take 
care  to  secure  such  harmonies  of  sound  to  sense,  but  he  must 
be  sure  that  he  does  not  allow  his  liquid  sounds  to  become  too 
frequent  when  he  is  trying  to  drive  home  an  important  thought ; 
and  that  he  does  not  use  too  many  harsh  words  when  he  wants 
his  writing  to  be  read  quickly  and  easily. 

Tone-Color 

Words  should  have  the  right  degree  of  dignity  or  tone-color. 
The  various  degrees  of  dignity  may  be  compared  to  the  colors 
of  the  spectrum  in  their  effect  upon  the  mind. 

At  one  extreme  is  the  vivid,  figurative,  emotional  diction  that 
corresponds  with  red.  Such  language  we  find  in  the  following 
passage : 

When  Vance  wrote  "  The  Brass  Bowl,"  he  drew  aside 
the  curtain  of  night  and  turned  the  flash-Hght  of  his  story- 
telling power  into  a  woman's  heart.  When  the  reading  pub- 
lic opened  "  The  Black  Bag."  they  saw  in  its  depths  the 
source  of  cupidity.  Those  who  took  the  lid  off  "  The  Band- 
box "  found  the  story  of  vanity,  love  of  finery,  hunger  of 
jewels,  and  the  intrigues  born  of  deceit.     It  was  a  best  seller. 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  last  sentence  has  a  distinct  change 
in  tone  to  another  level  of  language. 


SMALLER  UNITS  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  2^^ 

The  next  level  is  the  vulgar  or  slangy  language  that  is  both 
vivid  and  colloquial.  We  frequently  tind  it  in  tobacco  adver- 
tising: 

FIRST  OF  ALL  — 

you  buy  a  jimmy  pipe.  Get  one  that  chums-up  with  your 
spirit  right  off  the  bat,  natural  Uke.  Then  lay  a  dime  against 
a  tidy  red  tui  of  Prince  Albert  tobacco  that's  all  pleasing  and 
fragrant  and  fresh.     A  match  !  —  and  you're  off  ! 

Get  jimmy  pipe  joy'us  quick  as  you  can  beat  it  up  the  pike 
to  any  store  that  sells  tobacco 

The  third  level  is  the  cheerful  or  colloquial  language,  the 
conversation  that  is  suitable  to  messages  about  some  article 
of  common  use,  such  as  an  alarm  clock  or  a  razor.  This  cor- 
responds to  yellow.  Big  Ben  copy  almost  always  has  it,  as 
in  the  following  example  : 

\\'ondcrful  memory  that  fellow  Big  Ben  has  —  fact  is  for 
his  age,  the  smartest  thing  alive. 


In  that  room  with  a  hurry-up  straight  five-minute  ring  — 
in  that  other  room  with  ten  short  take-your-time  gentle  half 
minute  hints. 

Green  is  the  color  that  combines  light  and  cheerfulness  with 
restraint.  The  language  of  every-day  use  corresponds  with 
it.  It  contains  no  words  that  are  not  generally  known  and  in 
common  use.     It  is  always  safe  —  nearly  always  appropriate. 

Beyond  this  is  the  level  of  restrained,  dignified  language  that 
may  suitably  be  used  in  the  advertising  of  expensive  and  ex- 
clusive articles,  such  as  high-priced  writing  paper,  solid  silver- 
ware and  period  furniture.  Such  an  expression  as  "  bespeaks 
refinement  "  is  an  example.  This  level  should  not  be  used  ex- 
cept by  a  concern  that  can  afford  to  stand  aloof  from  the 
reader,  for  the  language  has  the  suggestion  of  withdrawal  and 
aloofness  that  corresponds  with  blue. 

Highest  of  all  is  the  elevated  and  sonorous  language  of  lit- 


234  ADVERTISING  COPY 

erature,  rarely  useful,  but  occasionally  of  tremendous  power 
in  presenting  a  subject  that  calls  for  vividness  together  with 
restraint.     We  find  it  in  such  an  advertisement  as  — 

I  am  the  printing-press,  born  of  the  mother  earth.  My 
heart  is  of  steel,  my  hmbs  are  of  iron  and  my  fingers  are  of 
brass. 

I  sing  the  songs  of  the  world,  the  oratories  of  history,  the 
symphonies  of  all  time. 

We  find  this  level  also  in  the  Cadillac  advertisement  on  page 

235- 

It  corresponds  to  the  color  purple. 

The  important  thing  to  be  remembered  in  connection  with 
these  degrees  of  dignity  is  that  when  any  one  of  them  is 
adopted  no  words  should  creep  in  that  violate  it.  The  effect 
would  be  as  bad  as  that  of  inharmonious  colors.  When  the 
writer  starts  out  with  a  vivid  flash  of  red  and  then  drops  into 
the  commonplaceness  of  "  It  was  a  best  seller  ''  he  spoils  his  ef- 
fect by  the  introduction  of  an  inharmonious  tone.  The  degree 
of  dignity  should  also  be  in  accord  with  that  of  the  article  ad- 
vertised. 

Atmosphere 

The  last  thing  to  be  considered  is  the  atmosphere  of  a  word. 
This  is  a  slightly  different  thing  from  its  dignity  and  its  sound. 
Its  atmosphere  is  its  suggestion  of  place,  or  mood,  or  point  of 
view.  Some  words  suggest  the  warmth  and  comfort  of  life, 
others  the  freedom  and  freshness  of  out-of-doors,  others  the 
quiet  and  peace  of  the  family  fireside. 

When  a  department  store  speaks  of  "  springtime  kimonos 
like  those  the  musemes  wear  "  we  get  a  breath  of  the  Orient. 
We  do  not  know  what  "  musemes  "  are,  but  that  does  not  mat- 
ter. Other  words  suggest  the  footlights,  the  cafe,  the  senate 
chamber,  the  office,  or  the  factory. 

When  a  breakfast  food  advertisement  speaks  of  its  "crisp 


'^^s^m^^sM^^^^^^^mm^^Mim. 


W, 
♦^ 


I 


i 

i 
i 

I 

I 
I 

I 

i 
i 

i, 

i 


PENALTY  OF 
LEADERSHIP 


IN  every  field  of  human  endeavor  he  that  is  first  must  perpetually  hve 
in  the  white  hght  of  pubhaty.  ^Whether  the  leadership  be  vested, 
in  a  man  or  m  a  manufactured  product,  emulation  and  envy  are  ever  at 
work  Tin  art.  in  literatur*.  in  music,  in  uidustry.  the  reward  and  the 
punishment  are  always  fhe  same.  ^The  reward  is  widespread  recog- 
mtion.  the  punishment,  fierce  denial  and  detraction  ^When  a  man's 
work  becomes  a  standard  for  the  whole  world,  it  also  becomes  a  target 
for  the  shafts  of  the  envious  few  ^If  his  work  be  merely  mediocre,  he 
will  be  left  severely  alone  — if  he  achieve  a  masterpiece,  it  will  set  a  million 
tongues  a-wagging.  ^Jealousy  does  not  protrude  its  forked  tongue  at 
the  artist  who  produces  a  commonplace  painting.  ^Whatsoever  you 
write,  or  paint,  or  play,  or  sing,  or  build,  no  one  will  strive  to  surpass,  or 
to  sla«der  you,  unless  your  work  be  stamped  with  the  seal  of  genius. 
^Long,  long  after  a  great  work  or  a  good  work  has  been  done,  those  who 
are  disappointed  or  envious  continue  to  cry  out  that  it  can  not  be  done. 
^Spiteful  little  voices  in  the  domain  of  art  were  raised  agamst  our  own 
\\'histler  as  a  mountebank,  long  after  the  big  world  had  acclaimed  him 
its  greatest  artistic  genius.  ^Multitudes  flocked  to  Bayreuth  to  worship 
at  the  musical  shrine  of  Wagner,  while  the  little  group  of  those  whom  he 
had  dethroned  and  displaced  argued  angrily  that  he  was  no  musician  at 
all.  IThe  little  world  continued  to  protest  that  Fulton  could  never 
build  a  steamboat,  while  the  big  world  flocked  to  the  nver  banks  to  sec 
his  boat  steam  by.  ^Thc  leader  is  assailed  because  he  is  a  leader,  and 
the  effort  to  equal  him  is  merely  added  proof  of  that  leadership.  ^Failing 
to  equal  or  to  excel,  the  follower  seeks  to  depreciate  and  to  destroy— but 
only  confirms  once  more  the  superionty  of  that  which  he  stnves  to 
supplant.  IThere  is  nothing  new  m  this.  ^It  is  as  old  as  the  world 
and  as  old  as  the  human  passions— <nvy,  fear,  greed,  ambition,  and  the 
desire  to  surpass.  ^And  it  all  avails  nothing.  ^If  the  leader  truly 
leads,  he  remains— the  leader  ^Master-poet,  master-painter,  master- 
workman,  each  in  his  turn  is  assailed,  and  each  holds  his  laurels  through 
the  ages.  T|That  which  is  good  or  great  makes  itself  known,  no  matter 
how  loud  the  clamor  of  denial.    ^That  which  deserves  to  hve— hves. 


I 


m 

^ 


I 


i 

i 

I 

I 

i 
i 


wsj^^f^^mm 


.  CaJillaic  Motor  Gar  Co.Detroit.'Micli. 


SX€StEl'^Smi^!S>. 


Figurative  language  is  here  used  effectively  but  the  lack  of  paragraph 
separation  makes  it  hard  to  read.  The  marginal  space  is  poorly  distrib- 
uted and  the  base  is  weak 


235 


236  ADVERTISING  COPY 

granules  combined  with  the  most  digestible  of  all  fats,  cream  " 
it  brings  in  an  atmosphere  that  is  not  favorable  to  our  early 
morning  appetites. 

We  may  allow  this  matter  of  atmosphere  to  rest  with  a  dis- 
cussion of  the  synonyms  for  the  word  smell.  Smell  itself  is 
ordinarily  neutral  —  to  many  minds  negative  or  unpleasant. 
It  covers  the  whole  broad  field.  Odor  is  more  dignified,  but 
still  general.  Fragrance  suggests  delicacy  and  the  atmosphere 
of  flowers  grown  in  the  fields  or  gardens.  Scent  suggests  a 
heavy,  powerful  smell,  perhaps  of  the  Orient,  perhaps  of  per- 
fumes, perhaps  of  hot-house  flowers  —  but  certainly  not  the 
fragrance  and  delicacy  of  out-of-doors.  Aroma  suggests 
things  to  eat  or  drink  or  smoke,  the  kitchen  or  the  dining-room, 
but  not  flowers  of  any  kind. 

To  go  deeply  into  the  question  of  atmosphere  of  words  would 
require  a  consideration  of  practically  the  whole  field  of  lan- 
guage and  psychology.  There  is  no  way  to  determine  with 
positiveness  the  atmosphere  our  words  will  carry  to  our 
readers.  Wo.  can,  however,  make  sure  that  the  atmosphere 
shall  not  be  negative  or  unpleasant  and  that  it  shall  be  close  to 
the  experience  of  the  majority  of  our  readers.  If  we  do  this 
we  shall  bring  them  into  close  touch  with  us  and  make  a  re- 
sponse more  certain. 

Coined  Words 

The  question  of  coined  words  is  one  of  the  most  difficult 
connected  w^ith  advertising  copy.  It  is  important,  however, 
in  considering  the  name  to  be  chosen  for  an  article,  and  there 
are  a  few  principles  that  help  in  it. 

Coined  words  should  be  short  and  easily  pronounced.  This 
is  necessary  in  order  to  economize  the  attention  of  the  reader 
in  grasping  it  and  in  remembering  it.  Glycothymoline  is  too 
long,  though  its  suggestion  is  otherwise  good. 

The  word  should  be  apt.     It  should  belong  to  this  article 


SMALLER  UNITS  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  237 

rather  than  to  others.  The  word  Usit,  apphed  to  a  new  glue, 
is  bad. 

The  word  should  be  new.  It  should  not  be  imitative  or 
reminiscent  of  competitors.  After  Uneeda  came  Iwanta  and 
Takhoma.  and  other  like  combinations. 

It  should  be  euphonious;  yet  have  enough  friction  to  grasp 
and  hold  the  attention.  Words  with  a  z,  or  k,  or  x.  combined 
with  liquid  O  sounds,  are  particularly  good.  This  is  not  only 
because  they  are  easily  pronounced  and  because  the  unusual 
letters  attract  attention,  but  because  their  very  sound  com- 
bines the  two  parts  of  euphony.  Such  words  are  Coca-cola, 
Calox,  and  Ony.x. 

The  word  should  be  suggestive  of  the  article  and  its  other 
suggestions  should  be  pleasant.  In  the  case  of  furniture  polish 
the  ending  ol  or  ola  would  suggest  oil.  The  manufacturers 
of  Vinol  were  compelled  to  advertise  that  it  contained  no  oil, 
because  the  word  suggested  oil  to  the  minds  of  most  people. 
Words  Hke  scratchojf  have  an  unpleasant  suggestion. 

The  word  should  not  be  silly.  Few  people  would  want  to 
ask  for  Ziggie,  or  Maker-nu,  any  more  than  they  would  want 
to  ask  for  Netherwear  when  buying  underclothes. 

Sentence  Unity 

In  sentence  structure,  as  in  diction,  usage  is  more  important 
than  rules.  The  writer's  business  is  to  impress  his  thought 
forcefully  and  with  the  greatest  economy  of  the  reader's  at- 
tention. Grammatical  rules  are  useful  only  because  they  pro- 
vide a  standard. 

There  are  many  idioms  that  cannot  be  justified  by  gram- 
matical rules ;  yet  it  is  not  only  safe  to  use  them,  but  really  wise, 
for  they  give  force  and  vitality  to  expression.  The  writer 
should  not  hesitate  to  say  "  You  had  better  "  or  "  No  one  else 
can,  either."  These  idioms  convey  his  idea.  "  Nothing  is 
superior  to  this  "  is  another  good  idiom  that  means  one  thing 


238  ADVERTISING  COPY 

in  our  language  and  quite  a  different  thing  in  some  foreign 
languages. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  are  many  grammatically  correct 
constructions  that  sound  awkward  and  pedantic  because  they 
are  not  commonly  used  in  every  day  life.  The  following  will 
serve  as  examples : 

Athletes  must  have  sound  teeth  —  the  kind  that  is  kept  sound 

by  Pebeco. 
Give  this  to  whoever  you  think  will  like  it. 

Such  constructions  should  be  avoided,  because  they  distract 
the  reader  from  the  thought  to  the  medium  in  which  the 
thought  is  conveyed.  It  would  be  better  to  use  the  follow'ing 
forms : 

Athletes   must  have   sound  teeth  —  the  kind  that  are  kept 

sound  by  Pebeco. 
Give  this  to  whomever  you  think  will  like  it. 

These  are  grammatically  incorrect,  perhaps,  but  they  sound 
right,  and  they  have  abundant  sanction  in  the  usage  of  the  gen- 
eral public  and  even  in  that  of  many  writers  of  reputation. 
The  critics  who  delight  in  pointing  out  these  "  faults  "  in  the 
work  of  prominent  authors  merely  testify  to  their  wide-spread 
acceptance  —  and  hence  their  justification.  For  usage  is  the 
standard  of  language. 

As  an  alternative  to  the  use  of  a  form  that  may  be  regarded 
as  incorrect  the  writer  can  recast  his  sentence.     For  example : 

Athletes  must  have   sound  teeth  —  the  teeth  that  are  kept 

sound  by  Pebeco. 
Give  this  to  anyone  you  think  will  like  it. 

In  cases  of  doubt,  this  is  the  better  practice.  Under  no 
circumstances  should  the  writer  use  sentence  forms  that  will 
draw  attention  to  themselves  and  away  from  the  message. 
Fortunately  correct  grammar  is  common  enough  so  that   it 


SMALLER  UNITS  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  239 

usually  passes  unnoticed.     Incorrect  structure  is  more  likely 
to  be  the  cause  of  distraction. 

Because  of  the  greater  license  allowed  the  writer  of  adver- 
tising copy,  and  the  general  desire  for  brevity,  it  is  easy  to 
fall  into  the  habit  of  writing  fragmentary  sentences  —  which 
are  not  really  sentences,  but  mere  groups  of  words.  A  sen- 
tence must  contain  a  complete  idea.  There  is  little  justifica- 
tion for  such  pieces  of  copy  as  the  following: 

All  work  hand-laundered.  Prompt  service.  Quality  is 
our  motto.  Fairest  prices  always.  No  charge  for  mending. 
Collars  and  cuffs  our  specialty.  Satisfaction  guaranteed.  A 
trial  will  convince. 

The  use  of  a  few  more  words  to  make  these  sentences  gram- 
matically complete  would  add  greatly  to  their  effectiveness. 
If  space  were  not  available  for  more  words,  it  would  be  better 
to  omit  some  of  the  ideas.  There  are  cases  in  which  sentences 
may  be  mutilated  to  get  them  in  the  space,  but  this  should  be 
the  last  thing  done. 

The  principle  of  unity,  as  applied  to  the  sentence,  requires 
that  it  contain  one  main  thought,  with  its  closely  modifying 
thoughts  —  and  only  one.  Obviously  a  sentence  that  is  in- 
complete grammatically  cannot  be  a  unit.  Another  frequent 
fault  is  the  practice  of  taking  a  modifying  idea  from  its  main 
idea  and  giving  it  the  dignity  of  a  sentence. 

More  dangerous,  and  equally  common,  is  the  fault  of  writing 
several  unrelated  ideas  in  one  sentence.  Long,  involved  sen- 
tences of  this  kind  are  ineffective,  because  they  tend  to  confuse 
the  reader.  Often  he  has  to  go  over  a  sentence  several  times 
before  he  can  grasp  its  meaning,  and  naturally,  he  will  turn 
aside  in  disgust. 

In  point  of  fact,  most  selling  messages  should  be  written  in 
short  sentences.  If  a  hundred  successful  advertisements  are 
chosen  at  random  and  analyzed  it  will  be  found  that  their  sen- 
tences average  not  more  than  fifteen  words  in  length.     This 


240  ADVERTISING  COPY 

length  may  safely  be  taken  as  a  standard.  Long  sentences  are 
sometimes  necessary ;  occasionally  they  are  advisable  for  the 
sake  of  dignity.     In  any  case,  however,  they  must  be  unified. 

Sentence  Coherence 

Coherence  in  the  sentence  demands  proper  order,  construc- 
tion, and  connection.  The  order  should  be  the  normal  one, 
except  when  transpositions  are  desirable  for  the  sake  of  em- 
phasis. Modifiers  should  be  as  close  as  possible  to  the  words 
they  modify.  Particular  care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  ad- 
verbial modifiers,  such  as  only,  are  in  their  right  places. 

The  construction  of  the  sentence  should  be  as  simple  as 
possible.  In  complex  or  compound  sentences,  the  subject 
should  not  be  changed  unnecessarily,  nor  should  the  verb  be 
changed  from  active  to  passive,  from  subjunctive  to  impera- 
tive, or  in  any  other  unnecessary  way. 

Wherever  possible  the  parallel  construction  should  be  used. 
This  means  that  similar  ideas  should  be  cast  in  similar  form. 
Correlatives  always  demand  the  parallel  construction;  thus  if 
not  only  is  followed  by  a  verb,  but  also  should  be  followed  by 
a  verb.  A  special  form  of  parallel  construction  is  found  in 
the  balanced  sentence,  which  is  a  compound  sentence  cut  ex- 
actly in  half,  with  the  two  clauses  similar  in  form,  and  either 
similar  or  contrasting  in  thought. 

The  balanced  sentence  is  particularly  useful  in  slogans,  for 
it  is  easily  remembered.     The  following  are  a  few  examples : 

We  would  build  them  better,  but  we  can't;  we  could  build 

them  cheaper,  but  we  won't. 
No  time  Hke  the  present ;  no  present  like  the  time. 
We  couldn't  improve  the  powder ;  so  we  improved  the  box. 

Proper  connection  within  the  sentence  demands  that  tm- 
equal  ideas  should  not  be  co-ordinated.  And  is  a  loose  con- 
nective at  best;  the  writer  should  examine  his  compound  sen- 
tences closely  to  see  whether  one  main  clause  should  not  be 


SMALLER  UNITS  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  241 

subordinated  to  the  other.  He  should  also  see  that  his  sub- 
ordinating connective  expresses  the  right  relation  between  the 
clauses.  When  and  while  are  frequently  missused  for  then  and 
although.  Pronouns  must  ahvays  refer  to  a  definitely  ex- 
pressed, not  an  implied  antecedent.  This  antecedent  must  be 
near  enough  the  pronoun  to  be  unmistakable. 

Participles  are  a  fruitful  source  of  incoherence.  A  par- 
ticipial clause  that  begins  a  sentence  must  modify  the  subject 
of  the  sentence.  "  Divided  up  into  sections,  you  can  quickly 
refer  to  any  part  of  this  book,"  should  read  "  Divided  up  into 
sections,  this  book  is  convenient  for  quick  reference."  Or, 
better  still,  such  a  sentence  should  be  recast,  v^ith  a  subordin- 
ating conjunction  and  a  definite  verb  used  in  place  of  the  parti- 
ciple. The  absolute  participle,  "  it  being  very  cheap  "  should 
ahvays  be  avoided,  for  it  does  not  show  the  true  relation  be- 
tw^een  the  idea  it  contains  and  the  idea  of  the  main  clause. 

Sentence  Emphasis 

The  most  important  devices  in  securing  emphasis  in  sen- 
tences are  compression,  repetition,  suspense,  and  climax.  As 
a  rule  the  sentence  should  be  as  brief  as  it  can  be  with  full  and 
exact  expression  of  the  thought.  Verboseness  is  fatal  to  em- 
phasis. Sometimes,  however,  the  repetition  of  a  word,  if  the 
important  word,  is  helpful.  The  following  example  illus- 
trates : 

It  is  a  glove  of  marked  distinction  —  distinction  in  fit  and 
style  —  distinction  in  quality  and  feel  —  distinction  in  all  the 
little  niceties  of  workmanship  that  are  demanded  by  the  par- 
ticular woman. 

The  beginning  and  end  of  a  sentence  are  its  most  important 
places  and  should  be  occupied  by  important  words.  Negative 
and  unpleasant  words  should  not  be  placed  there.  In  the 
sentence,  "  Among  so  many  investments  it  is  hard  to  tell  which 
would  pay  and  which  would  lose,"  it  would  be  better  to  trans- 


242  ADVERTISING  COPY 

pose  the  words  lose  and  pay  so  as  to  end  with  the  positive,  pay. 
Connectives  and  parenthetical  expressions  should,  if  possible, 
be  placed  within  the  sentence. 

Since  the  sentences  on  street  car  cards  and  posters  ordinarily 
stand  alone,  it  is  especially  important  that  they  be  constructed 
according  to  the  principle  of  emphasis.  One  street  car  card 
reading,  "  The  pages  of  history  will  record  the  great  war  just 
as  the  Evening  Post  today  tells  the  story,"  failed  to  emphasize 
the  important  contrast  between  Jiistory  and  the  present  day 
and  did  emphasize  the  unfortunate  word  story.  Revised  ac- 
cording to  the  principle  of  emphasis,  it  would  read :  "  His- 
tory will  tell  the  story  of  the  great  war  just  as  the  Evening 
Post  tells  it  today." 

The  periodic  sentence,  because  of  the  fact  that  its  idea  is 
mcomplete  until  the  end  and  it  therefore  holds  the  reader  in 
suspense,  is  especially  emphatic.  Inversions  of  order  and 
transpositions,  if  not  used  to  excess,  are  likewise  valuable. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  not  every  sentence  can  be  empha- 
sized. The  normal  order  should  be  followed  unless  there  is 
good  reason  for  change. 

Climax  is  a  most  valuable  means  of  emphasis.  When  three 
clauses  of  similar  form  are  used  together  they  make  a  strong 
impression.  This  is  especially  true  if  they  follow  Herd's 
prmciple  of  having  the  shortest  first  and  the  longest  last.  The 
principle  of  climax  applies  to  words  and  phrases  as  well  as  to 
clauses.  Three  is  the  best  number;  if  more  than  this  be  used 
the  form  becomes  monotonous  and  loses  force. 

Paragraphs 

A  paragraph  is  a  group  of  sentences  that  form  a  single  step 
in  the  progress  of  the  complete  advertisement.  Its  construc- 
tion is  not  entirely  a  matter  of  revision,  because  it  can  be 
planned  in  advance.  However,  it  is  frequently  necessary  in 
revision  to  change  the  paragraphing  of  the  copy. 


SMALLER  UNITS  OF  ADVERTISING  COPY  243 

The  paragraph  was  designed  for  the  convenience  of  the 
reader.  Its  whole  history  shows  this.  In  order  to  rest  the 
eye  and  mind  of  the  reader  it  is  necessary  that  the  black  mass 
of  type  material  should  be  broken  up,  and  the  most  effective 
method  of  breaking  it  up  is  by  means  of  white  space.  It  nat- 
urally follows  that  the  shorter  the  paragraphs  are,  the  more 
attractive  the  copy  will  be  to  the  eye.  The  whole  tendency 
today  is  toward  very  short  paragraphs. 

The  very  short  paragraph  —  especially  the  single  sentence 
paragraph  —  is  not  suitable  in  all  cases.  It  has  great  attention 
value  and  invites  reading.  It  lacks  dignity,  however,  and  fre- 
quently lacks  conviction.  Used  to  excess,  it  is  very  tedious. 
Then,  too,  it  is  not  suitable  for  subjects  that  require  the  per- 
suasion of  a  few  rather  than  the  attention  of  many,  or  sub- 
jects that  must  be  kept  free  from  any  suggestion  of  cheapness 
and  commonness. 

Regardless  of  length,  the  paragraph  should  contain  the  whole 
of  one  phase  of  the  message  and  only  one.  The  copy  should 
be  so  divided  that  each  paragraph  marks  a  logical  step  forward 
in  the  progress  of  the  thought  conveyed.  In  other  words,  the 
paragraph  should  be  unified. 

The  other  structural  principles  apply  to  paragraphs.  The 
sentences  should  be  in  logical  order.  They  should  have  no 
unnecessary  changes  in  construction  or  in  point  of  view  and 
should  make  free  use  of  parallelism.  They  should  be  so 
closely  connected  in  thought  that  few,  if  any,  expressed  con- 
nectives are  needed.  If  connectives,  or  "  word-bridges,"  are 
necessary  to  span  the  gap  between  ideas  they  should  be  exact, 
and  unobtrusive  in  position. 

Emphasis  in  the  paragraph  demands  that  the  important  ideas 
be  given  the  best  positions  and  greatest  proportion  of  space. 
This  would  apparently  mean  that  the  last  sentence  should  con- 
tain the  most  important  idea  and  be  longest.  In  point  of  fact, 
however,  many  good  paragraphs  end  with  short  sentences. 


244  ADVERTISING  COPY 

Occupying  tnis  important  position  they  have  an  effect  like  the 
crack  of  a  whip. 

It  has  not  been  possible,  in  the  limits  of  this  chapter,  even  to 
touch  upon  all  the  principles  that  are  useful  in  the  construc- 
tion and  revision  of  paragraphs,  sentences,  and  words.  Only 
those  of  most  value  to  the  writer  of  advertising  copy  have 
been  mentioned. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  MEDIUM 

Classification  of   Media 

The  writer  of  an  advertisement  must  always  govern  his 
copy  to  some  extent  by  the  medium  in  which  it  is  to  be  placed. 
Most  advertisers  give  careful  thought  to  the  selection  of  media, 
for  they  realize  that  their  messages  are  of  no  value  unless  they 
reach  the  people  for  whom  they  are  intended.  Unfortunately 
they  do  not  always  realize  that  a  message  in  the  right  medium 
may  not  be  read  by  the  right  people  unless  it  is  properly  adapted 
to  its  purpose.  The  newspaper  has  very  different  require- 
ments from  those  of  the  monthly  magazine.  An  advertise- 
ment that  would  be  read  and  responded  to  in  one  might  be 
ineffective  in  the  other.  For  that  reason  we  must  consider 
here  some  of  the  factors  that  affect  the  construction  of  adver- 
tisements in  the  various  important  classes  of  media. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  give  an  exhaustive  list  of  media.  Any- 
thing that  carries  the  advertiser's  message  may  be  considered 
an  advertising  medium.  This  definition  would  include  labels 
on  packages,  samples,  booths  in  fairs,  floats  in  street  parades, 
and  even  such  indirect  media  as  restaurants  and  nurseries  in 
the  department  stores.  We  need  consider  only  the  media  in 
which  a  written  message  would  be  placed.  The  following  list 
is  reasonably  inclusive : 

1.  Newspapers 

2.  Weeklies  and  flat  periodicals 

3.  Standard  monthly  magazines 

4.  Women's  publications 

24s 


246  ADVERTISING  COPY 

5.  Farm  publications 

6.  Religions,  educational,  and  other  class  publications 

7.  Technical  publications 

8.  Trade  journals 

9.  House  organs 
10..  Programs 

1 1.  Circulars  and  other  mailing  pieces 

12.  Street-car  cards 

13.  Bill-boards  and  outdoor  displays. 

14.  Specialties   (calendars,  blotters,  and  the  like) 

Each  of  these  classes  has  its  own  special  problems,  which 
are  considered  in  Part  V  of  this  volume.  Here  w^e  are  inter- 
ested only  in  their  influence  upon  the  copy.  The  influence  of 
the  special  class  audience  will  be  considered  separately  in  the 
next  chapter.  Circulars  and  mailing-pieces  are  not  discussed 
at  all  in  this  volume.  Their  problem  is  so  different  that  it 
comes  more  properly  within  the  field  of  salesmanship  and  sell- 
ing literature. 

The  types  of  media  listed  above,  however,  do  not  in  all  cases 
differ  because  of  the  class  of  readers.  They  differ  because  of 
method  of  distribution,  length  of  time  given  to  them,  reason 
for  reading  them,  attitude  of  reader  toward  them,  and  many 
other  factors.  Hence  it  is  fair  to  say  that  the  nature  of  the 
copy  is  affected  by  the  medium  as  well  as  by  the  audience,  and 
to  separate  the  two  influences.  In  both  cases  the  principle  to 
remember  is  that  an  advertisement  must  be  adapted  to  the 
readers  if  it  is  to  "  get  across  " —  in  other  words,  to  make  an 
impression  and  secure  a  response. 

Newspapers — National   Advertising 

It  is  commonly  recognized  that  the  newspapers  reach  more 
kinds  of  people  than  the  monthly  and  weekly  periodicals. 
Their  appeal  is  practically  universal.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
are  read  more  hastily  than  the  more  costly  periodicals  and  are 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  MEDIUM  247 

shorter  lived.  All  these  differences  indicate  that  in  the  news- 
paper the  chief  tasks  are  to  get  attention  and  to  stimulate  ac- 
tion. The  national  advertiser  who  tells  his  story  with  a  fair 
degree  of  completeness  in  the  magazines,  must  usually  boil  it 
down  for  the  newspapers. 

National  advertisements  in  newspapers  demand  bold,  dis- 
tinctive display.  There  are  likely  to  be  many  other  adver- 
tisements competing  for  attention,  to  say  nothing  of  the  news 
and  editorial  columns  for  which  the  paper  was  bought.  Many 
readers  glance  over  the  day's  news  and  then  toss  the  paper 
away.  Strong  attractive  power  is  therefore  a  necessity. 
Clever  and  original  stunts  are  possible  in  the  newspaper  that 
would  be  out  of  place,  even  if  permitted,  in  the  magazine.  It 
should  be  remembered,  too,  that  the  range  of  possibilities  in 
illustration  is  narrowed  by  the  cheap  and  coarse  paper,  which 
prohibits  the  use  of  fine  half-tones.  The  attraction  must  be 
secured  by  simple  methods. 

Since  each  message  must  be  brief  (it  is  estimated  that  thirty 
seconds  is  the  average  amount  of  time  given  to  an  ad- 
vertisement) continuity  of  impression  is  essential.  The  ad- 
vertisements are  usually  inserted  in  a  series,  only  a  few  days 
apart.  This  demands  that  they  have  a  similarity  of  form. 
Trade-marks,  slogans,  or  other  identifying  characteristics,  are 
usually  featured.  A  good-sized  illustration  of  the  package 
which  is  to  be  bought  is  especially  important,  for  the  news- 
paper is  seen  by  people  when  they  are  close  to  the  store  or 
source  of  supply;  and,  moreover,  newspaper  advertisements 
are  used  to  influence  the  dealer  as  well  as  the  consumer.  In 
general,  it  may  be  said  that  the  display  should  be  such  as  to 
command  attention,  recall  to  the  memory  previous  advertising 
of  the  article,  and  impress  upon  the  mind  the  characteristics  of 
the  product  in  such  a  way  that  buying  action  would  be  easy  and 
natural. 

The  text  should  be  governed  by  the  same  considerations. 


248  ADVERTISING  COPY 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  newspaper  is  not  selective. 
Men  and  women  of  all  classes  and  professions  read  it.  There 
is,  of  course,  some  difference  between  the  one  cent  paper  and 
the  three  cent  paper,  between  the  home  paper  and  the  sporting 
paper  —  but  these  differences  are  too  numerous  to  be  analyzed 
here.  Ordinarily  the  text  should  have  material  that  appeals 
to  the  largest  possible  number  of  those  who  may  become  buyers. 
As  there  is  no  connection  between  wealth  and  education,  this 
means  that  the  arguments  should  be  clear  and  fairly  obvious 
and  the  language  simple,  even  in  advertisements  for  expensive 
articles. 

As  newspaper  advertisements  must  usually  be  brief  and  gain 
their  effect  largely  through  repetition,  assertions  can  frequently 
be  substituted  for  reasons.  An  assertion,  if  repeated  often 
enough,  gains  belief.  Whether  assertions  take  the  place  of 
reasoning  or  not,  the  copy  should  be  terse,  vigorous,  and 
snappy  in  tone.  Sentences  and  paragraphs  should  usually  be 
short,  and  the  diction  should  be  colloquial  and  journalistic. 
The  news  quality  should  permeate  the  newspaper  advertisement. 

The  point  of  contact  with  the  reader  is  frequently  his  inter- 
est in  the  news.  This  does  not  mean  that  when  war  is  the 
dominant  factor  of  news  interest,  the  copy  should  always  con- 
tain references  to  the  war.  If  this  were  done  too  much  it 
would  become  tedious,  and  it  is  likely  to  lead  to  straining  for 
effect.  But  an  advertisement  on  the  sporting  page  mav  well 
feature  the  testimonial  of  some  famous  ball-player  or  other 
athlete.  Some  of  the  interest  in  the  personality  is  trans- 
ferred to  the  advertised  article.  This  is  only  one  example  of 
the  many  ways  in  which  copy  in  newspapers  may  use  the  inter- 
est in  the  news  to  gain  attention. 

Newspapers — Department  Store  Advertising 

The  advertisements  of  department  stores  depend  largely 
upon  the  news  interest  —  and  indeed  partake  of  the  character 


Whistler,  the  artist,  could  put  a  touch 
of  color  in  the  one  right  spot  in  his 
picture  and  give  a  new  value  to  aLL 
the  rest* 

So  the  Automobile  Show  at  the 
Grand  Central  Palace  is  enhanced 
and  made  more  valuable  by  the  pres' 
cnce  of  the 

PIERCE- 


New  York  Sales: 

Harrolds   Motor  Car  Co. 

333  West  54th  Street 


New  Jersey  Sales: 

Ellis  Motor  Car  Co. 

416  Central  Ave.,  Newark 


Concise,  distinctive  newspaper  copy  for  nationally  advertised  product 

249 


250 


ADVERTISING  COPY 


ThisMan 

hasn*t  heard  the 
news  yet  But 
he's  pric!;ing  up 
his  ears,  at  all 
wise  men  do» 
at  the  suggestion 
that  the  John 
Wanamaker  men's 
Store  has  some 
news      for      him. 

Watch 

his  expression 
Monday  evening 
when  the  news 
will  begin  to 
develop. 


"Teaser"  copy  preced- 
ing a  department  store 
bargain  announcement. 


of  news.  Many  women  read  the 
latest  announcements  of  the  stores 
as  regularly  as  men  read  the  quota- 
tions on  the  market  and  financial 
pages.  One  Philadelphia  newspaper 
is  said  to  have  lost  20,000  circula- 
tion when  it  lost  the  Wanamaker 
advertising.  Often  these  department 
store  advertisements  are  set  up  in 
columns  like  the  news  columns. 
Their  chief  purpose  is  to  give  infor- 
mation that  is  interesting  and  up-to- 
date. 

The  bargain  appeal  is  most  uni- 
versal and  most  extensively  used  by 
department  stores.  Figures  are  ex- 
act and  are  slightly  below  round 
numbers  (as  $4.98  instead  of  $5, 
$2.49  instead  of  $2.50,  and  the  like) 
in  order  to  further  the  impression  of 
saving.  But  it  must  be  remembered 
that  a  low  price  is  less  appealing  than 
the  reason  for  the  low  price.  Fre- 
quently the  reason  has  to  do  with 
the  element  of  time,  as  a  pre-inven- 
tory  sale,  an  after-the-holidays  sale, 
and  the  like.  This  has  added  value 
in  that  it  contains  the  news-element. 
Sometimes  the  reason  is  that  a  large 
purchase  has  been  made  on  fortunate 
terms.  Flere  the  time  element  enters 
only  through  the  suggestion  that  the 
articles  will  be  sold  out  quickly,  and 
prompt  action  is  therefore  necessary. 


i( 


Great! 


>} 


That  was  his  simple  comment  when  he  heard  the 
news  of  what  the  JOHN  WANAMAKER  MEN'S 
STORE  was  going  to  do. 

This  much  of  the  news  you  may  know  tonight: 

$355,585  represents  the  regular  values 
$226,013.75— the  selling  price 


$129,571.25 — the  savings. 

in  the  greatest  Sale  in  the  history  of  Men's  Clothing 
which  opens  Wednesday  morning  of  this  week  at 
Broadway  and  Ninth. 

Every  man  will  be  interested. 

Prices  will  fit  every  pocket-book. 

All  about  it  tomorrow  evening. 


Second  "  teaser "  preceding  a  department  store  bargain  announcement 

251 


THE  JOHN  WANAMAKER  STORE 


THE  MEN'S  STORE  OPENS  AT  7  30  TOMORROW  (WEDNESDAY!  TO  USHER  IN 

The  Greatest  Sale  in  the  History  of  Men's  Clothing 


ThePilTof  It 

w    k«    like    tk* 
•tonar      **J*      aprti 


Unusual  Linent  in  I 
ThUSaleofWliitel 

Once      in      tne      Linen 

medialeiy  tmprciwd  with' 
two  tttinfs.  rhe  vastncMj 
ind  the  iullncs%  ai  thei 
tttXK*.  And  'hese  ere  the  I 
chiel  >eaiures  -I  thii  Ian. I 
uary      Sale      -ti      Linens,  i 


r  Kav, 


and  Napkir 


I  <•  •  -pat  *pc«<h* 


,k..  .Uiie.  ^ 

^m,'  »t.,e. 
•uffermi    Vty  t 


I      ^i.  .  a,    .«•..   V,,.    «». 

]        itM«»*  ••  •wtk   M   ■   m; 
.      ».»«  1.  II .  e..«v  -t..  Hit' 

I  ..ii.'i,;x's.v,'».  "iri 

.Special  OamatK    It  Vard   { 


'  tT  "^ 


5aMi*f— t<auep«a  u 


|M*«  la'v  pulled  ap  afid        Lmen  Sheets  and 
Shcctinc 


>    llto.  Ui 

The  White  Sale 

That  Growa  in  tnterest  1 

_ iMission  Furniture 

I  .a<>.  i«i>e  aia  !at  Hslvcd  Prices 

in|   eaii^aven'l       Quaint     misiion     furni. 
iley  Br 


Co 


■The      Old 


Cujtaina 

Diipo...  A.er.t, 
HALF  PRICE 


•e_«i .  .mplue  il  .JlS  pait.  'China  tloiets 

>1   tunami   ••   aere   ti   prtcaa         '•»"'"'*,'"  ST  fJ'J'i  "^ 

...r>(m|   Hall   lee.  itia.  -ef .    .*"""'    "      "  '"*  ^ 


Plenty  ol  limnl-rootn 
tablet 


Sale  of  Sak-and-Cottoo 
Ratine,  28c  Yard 

Spei.e!    puKliaae    .(    jjfj 


B^M 


ExtcnsK 


.    •M.n     ,1     C^ 


Suu^ 


(pl^^W^cfc 


We  ion't  like  mperiativei  They  nave  been 
much  misused:  tiave  iom  a  <rcat  deal.ot  their 
4iciiorary  m<anin(j  But  when  we  Ktxed  to 
avoid  then*  tn  tailing  the  leMrs  ot  this  Sate  we 
weTc  up  a  trfc  Wc  ^ould  find  only  -jr 
to  T\t  the  tacts — c/ie  {ceatesr  aa/e  $n  'he  bistory 
o/  ment  clothing 

TIlis  is  the  First  Annual 
Naticna]  C!earaway 
of  Men's  Better  Suits 
and  Overcoats 


i^io  brand  new  tuLts  and 
packed,  from  the  leading  clothmg  .lunuf 
ot  America,  and  T.i«i  *ancy  suits  and  o* 
from  (he  fine  regular  Wanamakcr  stocks— «11 
that  lemaia 

12,643 

Men's  Suits 
and  Overcoats 


Ha      Hm       Hm 


I  p»tl*'iw    S)»S-4<i 


r«r«<11<K  tiJiMTT: 


There  are  6,223  Suits      ] 


^JUtm.  mtxtUii  ubrkc*. 

On  The  Burlmftoa  Arcadf  Hoot 
FotiTfh  Avenue  Enif 


in  ibt  N*w   itoir  lot  Mtn. 

Btoady/ty  -orijei  Eighth 

^-$23.50 ;•'  —•■.•-  — "• 

;;-:•• -'  :;:;;;::;  ::::::::::;::::  $il50 


ThfTC  are  C,420  Overcoats  ! 


On  the  Builitigion  AtcMde  Hoor 
Fourt.')  Avrna^  £ntf 

Black  and  Ottord  Overcoats 


>    On  'Ae  BurHngton  Arcade  (loot 
:  Btotdwty  End 

\  All  Fancy  Overcoats 

;.•:;•;:.•:„  ::z::;;;;::;  $14.50 

...III,         «4«.JMl. I  !..«.■  ;      ^,    5„„„,   £„„,„„     .V,»    giu/iJ,,,, 

Fancy  Overcoats  "]"  «  I!1II  Tll^lli!".''.  ria!'     $9.75 

.".'  ^'  i;; "  *::::;::.";;  ,■,'": !  ci  q  en  i  ••■  ;'„';:,  Z'^^T'^ZT.'.!.  'Z  '°;ir,'".' 

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Men  Know  What  to  Expect  .of  a  War.amaKer  Sale 


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piomptly   a.iud  upcn 


More  Than  100  Extra  Salesmen 


No  Charge  tot  Alterations 


Department  store  advertisement  featuring  a  bargain  sale.     (Size  very 
much  reduced) 

252 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  MEDIUM  253 

The  large  amount  of  material  available  for  advertising  in 
the  department  store  makes  its  problem  of  special  difficulty. 
Usually  a  system  is  adopted  by  which  each  of  the  departments 
gets  during  the  year  a  certain  amount  of  space,  to  be  appor- 
tioned at  the  most  suitable  season.  A  selection  of  leaders  is 
made  for  each  day's  advertising,  and  these  are  made  so  attrac- 
tive in  price  as  to  bring  people  into  the  store,  who  may  there  be 
persuaded  to  buy  other  articles. 

The  department  store  usually  has  a  definite  position  and 
space  in  the  paper  and  a  distinctive  type  or  method  of  display, 
for  the  sake  of  identification.  It  is  not  wise,  however,  to  allow 
the  marks  of  identification  to  dominate  the  special  appeal  of  the 
day.  Even  though  the  name  or  motto  of  the  concern  be  placed 
at  the  top,  it  should  be  carefully  separated  from  the  rest  of  the 
copy. 

Newspapers — Small  Retail   Stores 

The  methods  of  the  small  retail  store  that  carries  only  one 
or  two  lines  of  goods  differ  somewhat  from  those  of  the  large 
department  store.  The  bargain  appeal  is  useful  but  can  hardly 
be  employed  so  frequently,  or  the  store  may  lose  reputation. 
Nevertheless,  as  the  most  important  thing  is  to  stimulate  peo- 
ple to  enter  the  store,  a  large  percentage  of  small  retail  adver- 
tising contains  in  some  form  or  other  a  money  inducement. 
Next  in  importance  to  this  comes  the  advertising  that  has  re- 
minders, or  timely  suggestions.  A  third  type  consists  of  short, 
epigrammatic  talks  for  the  sake  of  establishing  a  store  atmos- 
phere. Usually  these  advertisements  contain  the  element  of 
human  interest.  In  the  case  of  large  concerns  they  are  fre- 
quently accompanied  by  material  of  one  of  the  other  two  types. 

This  last  type  of  advertising  frequently  wins  its  readers  by 
the  element  of  distinctiveness  or  character.  The  personality 
of  a  storekeeper  has  much  to  do  with  his  success,  and  if  he 
can  put  his  personality  into  his  advertising  messages  —  or  get 


254 


ADVERTISING  COPY 


a  distinctive  style  put  into  them  —  he  can  often  win  new 
customers.  Even  small  space,  if  wisely  used  for  little  anec- 
dotes, essays,  stories,  epi- 
grams—  all  with  a  sales 
element,  of  course  —  can 
be  made  to  attract  readers 
who  will  look  for  them  as 
eagerly  as  for  the  news  or 
the  editorial  columns.  The 
little  talks  of  the  Rogers 
Peet  Co.  are  read  by  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  New 
Yorkers  every  day. 


UR  regular  visitors,  who 
know  us  well,  are  taking  as 
lively  an  interest  in  some 
of  the  Christmas  innova- 
tions here  at  Best's  as  if 
Somebody  had  brought  a~ 
bride  into  the  family 

The  cheery,  convenient 
gift-shop  on  the  second 
floor,  for  one  thing;  the 
special  saleswoman  who 
will  go  with  you  from  table 
to  table  and  devote  herself 
«xdusively  to  your  service 
if  you  wish,  for  another 
thing;  the  overflowing  toy- 
shop on  the  fourth  floor, 
for  one  more. 

"You  never  pay  more  at 
Best's"— that's  not  an  in- 
novation at  all,  but  it  may. 
be  news. 


F0I  Aumt.  !>'<>l  Slit.  Cf^  <t  ISA  .SkaL 


Newspapers  —  Classified 
Advertisements 


Smaller  retail  store  advertisement 
featuring  service 


As  pointed  out  in  a  pre- 
vious chapter,  classified 
advertising  is  distinct  in 
character  from  display  and 
publicity  advertising.  It 
is  intended  mainly  for  readers  who  already  realize  their 
needs.  In  choosing  a  medium  for  such  advertising  it  is  well 
to  pick  out  one  that  contains  a  large  amount  of  this  kind  of 
material.  People  who  are  looking  for  some  specific  thing  nat- 
urally look  where  the  range  of  choice  is  greatest.  It  is  true 
that  in  a  publication  containing  few  classified  advertisements 
each  one  of  them  secures  a  large  proportion  of  attention.  But 
this  is  not  sufficient  compensation  for  the  fact  that  fewer 
readers  look  here. 

In  spite  of  the  limitations  upon  attractive  power,  classified 
advertisements  should  be  made  as  distinctive  as  possible.  The 
rules  of  the  publication  ordinarily  allow  no  type  display  or 
illustration.     Sometimes  they  do  allow  the  use  of  white  space 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  MEDIUM  255 

at  the  top  and  bottom;  if  so,  it  is  a  wise  investment.  The 
text,  however,  must  carry  the  main  burden.  Most  advertisers 
make  the  mistake  of  too  great  brevity  for  the  sake  of  saving  a 
few  cents.  The  text  should  be  concise,  of  course,  but  it  should 
not  be  boiled  down  to  such  an  extent  that  it  is  ungrammatical 
or  obscure.  As  a  rule,  the  more  complete  the  details  are,  the 
better.  The  first  word  of  a  classified  advertisement  should 
begin  with  a  letter  near  the  beginning  of  the  alphabet,  prefer- 
ably the  letter  A,  if  the  advertisements  in  each  section  are  in- 
serted alphabetically,  so  that  the  advertisement  will  have  a 
position  near  the  top  of  the  column. 

General  Magazines  and  Weeklies 

The  previous  chapters  have  dealt  mainly  with  the  problem  of 
writing  copy  for  general  publications,  such  as  the  standard 
magazines  and  weeklies.  It  will,  therefore,  be  unnecessary  to 
consider  them  in  detail  here.  They  offer  better  opportunities 
for  display  than  newspapers,  especially  for  half-tone  illustra- 
tions of  high  quality.  They  also  have  longer  life  and,  conse- 
quently, offer  a  better  chance  for  mail  order  and  inquiry-pull- 
ing copy,  or  for  publicity  copy  that  tells  a  complete  story. 
Keyed  advertisements  (by  which  is  meant  advertisements  con- 
taining some  identifying  mark  in  the  address  by  which  in- 
quiries from  this  publication  may  be  traced)  frequently  show 
results  in  considerable  volume  for  three  months  after  the  pub- 
lication date,  and  inquiries  occasionally  come  in  a  year  or  more 
later.  This  is  only  one  indication  of  the  general  truth  that 
copy  in  such  publications  has  a  longer  life  than  copy  in  news- 
papers, and  so  may  be  more  complete. 

General  magazines  reach  a  higher  average  level  of  intelli- 
gence and  education  than  the  newspapers.  The  newspaper 
reaches  every  class  of  people  who  can  read.  The  general 
magazines  and  weeklies  reach  those  who  desire  a  higher  type 
of  entertainment  and  instruction  than  can  be  found  in  the  daily 


256  ADVERTISING  COPY 

news  or  in  the  Sunday  supplement.  For  these  reasons  the 
copy  in  such  publications  may  be  more  refined.  The  language 
should  not  be  colloquial,  unless  the  specific  nature  of  the  article 
demands  it.  On  the  other  hand,  the  language  should  not  be 
stilted  or  formal. 

Class   Publications 

In  the  class  publications  the  advertising  copy  is  affected  not 
so  much  by  the  factors  considered  above,  as  by  the  fact  that 
the  audience  is  selected.  Hence  in  them  a  certain  amount  of 
adjustment  to  the  reader  is  possible  that  cannot  be  accomplished 
in  the  newspapers  or  general  magazines,  where  the  readers  in- 
clude all  ages,  sexes,  and  occupations.  In  the  class  publication 
the  readers  are  selected,  much  as  the  list  of  names  of  people 
for  a  certain  sales  letter  are  selected.  The  writer  can  tell  in  ad- 
vance that  his  appeal  is  directed  to  dealers,  to  women,  to 
farmers,  to  business  men,  to  engineers,  or  some  other  fairly 
well  defined  class,  and  can  govern  his  material  and  language 
accordingly. 

The  effect  of  a  selected  audience  upon  the  nature  of  the  ap- 
peal is  so  important  that  the  whole  of  the  next  chapter  will  be 
devoted  to  it. 

Street  Cars  and  Bill-Boards 

Street-car  cards,  bill-boards,  and  outdoor  display  generally, 
are  used  mainly  to  supplement  other  forms  of  advertising. 
The  field  of  their  influence  is  comparatively  narrow.  How- 
ever, they  have  the  great  advantage  that  they  are  nearest  of 
all  to  the  place  of  buying.  The  man  or  woman  frequently 
sees  them  when  on  a  shopping  trip  or  on  the  way  to  the  office 
and  is  reminded  of  a  need  he  has  felt  earlier.  Tiiey  are  con- 
sequently valuable  for  stimulus. 

On  the  other  hand,  they  are  read  hastily  and  often  at  a  dis- 
tance.    The   copy,   therefore,   must   always   be    brief.     The 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  MEDIUM  257 

violation  of  this  fundamental  requirement  was  responsible  for 
the  failure  of  the  bill-board  advertising  used  by  the  Repub- 
lican National  Committee  in  the  campaign  of  191 2.  The  ad- 
vertisements for  President  Taft's  administration  were  crowded 
full  of  material  in  small  type.  Few  people  would  pause  in 
front  of  a  bill-board  long  enough  to  read  it.  Regard  for  this 
principle  was  responsible  for  the  effectiveness  of  the  subway 
and  street-car  cards  used  by  the  Fusion  Committee  in  New- 
York  City,  in  Mitchel's  campaign  in  191 3.  The  cards  used 
contained  simply  the  question  "  Mitchel  or  McCall  ?  "  The 
word  Mitchel  was  in  large  blue  letters ;  McCall  was  in  black 
small  type  and  behind  this  was  the  word  Murphy  in  large  red 
letters.  It  may  be  noted  incidentally  that  the  suggestion  of 
the  colors  was  good  for  the  purpose. 

Since  the  copy  must  be  brief  and  since  the  purpose  of  out- 
door advertising  is  largely  intensive,  the  copy  should  be  con- 
centrated upon  attraction  and  stimulation.  If  only  two  words 
can  be  used  they  should  be  the  name  of  the  product  combined 
with  an  imperative  verb,  as,  for  example,  "  Use  Sapolio,'' 
"  Drink  White  Rock."  Reasons  and  arguments  are  of  little 
value,  because  the  space  does  not  permit  them  to  be  given 
in  sufficient  detail  to  convince.  Assertions  and  clever  slogans 
are  much  more  useful.  They  gain  some  power  of  conviction 
by  their  very  repetition. 

Whatever  the  outdoor  advertising  may  lack  in  possibilities 
for  conviction  it  atones  for  by  its  greater  range  of  possibility 
in  display.  In  the  illustration,  color  and  often  motion  may  be 
implied.  As  you  walk  along  the  Great  White  Way  in  New 
York,  or  its  counterpart  in  any  great  city,  your  eye  is  tempted 
by  every  possible  device  —  colored  lights,  quick-changing  pic- 
tures, to  say  nothing  of  size,  which,  after  all,  is  the  simplest 
way  to  emphasize  any  statement. 

Originality  and  distinctiveness  are  looked  upon  as  of  first 
importance  in  outdoor  advertising.     They  should,   however. 


258  ADVERTISING  COPY 

be  tempered  with  discretion  and  good  taste.  It  is  not  usually 
wise  to  attempt  to  shout  just  a  little  louder  or  use  just  a  little 
more  brilliant  color  or  a  little  more  sensational  picture  than  the 
next  man.  The  extreme  has  been  reached  in  that  direction, 
and  today  attention  is  more  certain  to  be  secured  by  a  quiet 
neutrality  of  tone  and  a  fair  conservatism  of  language.  The 
eye  will  seek  it  for  relief  from  the  more  strident  claims  of  its 
competitors. 

Programs,  Calendars,  and  Other  Special  Media 

Programs  may  be  most  effectually  used  when  some  consider- 
ation is  given  to  the  mood  and  interests  of  readers  at  the  time 
they  see  the  advertisement.  It  is  obvious  that  people  are 
usually  in  the  mood  for  enjoyment,  and  the  program  is  simply 
a  guide  to  their  further  pleasure.  The  most  effective  adver- 
tisements, therefore,  are  likely  to  be  those  which  use  the  hu- 
morous or  clever  tone  and  take  advantage  so  far  as  possible  of 
the  spirit  of  the  play-house  or  opera. 

Calendars  have  a  long  life,  but  any  attempt  to  tell  a  very 
complete  story  upon  them  is  usually  fatal,  because  people  do 
not  care  to  adorn  their  walls  with  what  purports  to  be  an  adver- 
tisement. They  should,  therefore,  be  attractive  and  they  may 
profitably  contain  some  slogan  or  stimulative  phrase.  In  the 
case  of  retail  stores,  of  course,  frequently  only  the  name  and 
address  is  used. 


CHAPTER  XX 

COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  AUDIENCE 

"  Getting  Across  " 

The  disadvantage  of  advertising  copy  as  compared  with 
sales  letters  is  that  advertising  copy  cannot  individualize  its 
appeal  to  the  same  extent  as  sales  letters.  Advertisers  in  gen- 
eral publications  sometimes  try  to  make  up  for  this  by  fea- 
turing various  different  uses  for  their  product  as,  for  example, 
in  the  home,  in  the  factory,  in  the  office,  on  the  farm,  and  the 
like,  so  that  a  point  of  contact  will  be  made  with  several  classes 
of  possible  buyers.  This  method  is  useful,  but  at  best  only 
decreases  the  disadvantage. 

This  disadvantage,  however,  is  much  less  in  the  case  of 
publications  appealing  only  to  a  selected  class ;  for  example, 
technical  and  trade  publications,  farm  publications,  and  wom- 
en's magazines.  Here  the  audience  is  selected,  and  for  that 
reason  such  publications,  as  a  rule,  command  higher  prices  for 
space  than  the  general  magazines  and  newspapers.  This  is 
especially  true  of  the  technical  field.  The  value  of  this  dis- 
tinctive kind  of  class  publication  depends  upon  the  extent  to 
which  it  actually  reaches  its  audience,  and  the  influence  which 
it  has  upon  that  audience.  In  general  it  may  be  said,  however, 
that  space  in  such  publications  offers  good  possibilities,  pro- 
vided the  writer  of  the  copy  adapts  his  appeal  to  the  character 
and  language  of  the  special  class  of  readers  that  he  addresses. 

It  is  not  enough  in  such  publications  that  the  copy  be  writ- 
ten from  the  standpoint  of  the  buyer,  rather  than  from  that 
of  the  advertiser.  This  should  be  done  in  all  advertising.  In 
the  class  publications,  it  is  also  necessary  that  the  length  of 

259 


26o  ADVERTISING  COPY 

the  advertisement,  the  kind  of  material  it  contains,  and  the 
tone  be  governed  by  the  class  characteristics  of  the  audience. 
It  is  a  matter  of  economy  of  attention  or  ''  getting  across." 

It  is  comparatively  easy  to  study  the  article  which  is  being 
advertised,  to  know  its  talking  points  and  to  select  the  material 
that  should  be  presented  in  the  copy.  It  is  a  far  harder  task 
to  know  the  people  who  are  to  buy  and  adjust  the  message  to 
them.  There  is  no  better  way,  obviously,  than  to  go  out 
among  them,  talk  with  them  as  a  salesman  might,  and  find  out 
their  characteristics  and  points  of  view.  Some  publishers  of 
technical  magazines  require  men  who  are  accepted  as  copy- 
writers in  their  service  department  to  spend  six  months'  ap- 
prenticeship on  the  road  in  order  that  they  may  know  their 
audience  by  personal  contact.  The  service  department  itself, 
incidentally,  has  been  established  in  many  cases  because  the 
average  advertiser  is  not  sufficiently  familiar  with  the  special 
class  audience  to  direct  his  appeal  to  them  in  such  a  way  as 
to  be  effective.  The  publications,  therefore,  place  at  his  dis- 
posal a  corps  of  copy-writers  w'ho  know  the  audience  and  are 
able  to  adapt  the  appeal  to  them. 

It  is  possible,  however,  for  any  copy-writer  to  write  copy 
for  class  publications  if  he  will  intelligently  study  the  class 
characteristics.  For  that  reason  some  of  the  most  important 
classes  of  readers  are  analyzed  in  this  chapter  to  discover  how 
the  appeal  should  be  adapted  to  them. 

Copy  for  Business  Men 

The  business  man  is  a  busy  man,  or  regards  himself  as  one, 
which  for  all  practical  purposes  amounts  to  the  same  thing. 
He  will  not  read  a  long  advertisement  unless  it  is  upon  a  sub- 
ject that  particularly  interests  him.  First  of  all,  then,  the 
advertisement  should  be  as  short  as  is  consistent  with  com- 
pleteness. Even  if  the  subject  is  interesting  and  the  copy  has 
to  be  long  in  order  to  convince,  it  must  tell  him  some  new 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  AUDIENCE        261 

facts.  The  business  man  resents  truisms  and  trite  generalities. 
He  wants  definite,  concrete  facts  and  wants  these  boiled  down 
to  the  essentials. 

He  is  a  practical  man  and  is  therefore  more  influenced 
by  reason-why  than  by  suggestion.  He  prides  himself  on 
his  ability  to  decide  questions  for  himself  and  is  therefore 
more  open  to  the  conviction  of  facts  and  figures  than  to  that 
of  testimonials.  The  best  arguments  to  use  with  him  are  the 
practical  arguments  of  saving  money,  increasing  efficiency, 
or  adding  to  health,  convenience,  or  comfort. 

The  language  used  should  be  simple  and  direct,  but  not  too 
colloquial  and  rarely  slangy.  This  applies,  of  course,  to  arti- 
cles for  business  purposes,  and  not  to  those  which  have  no 
connection  with  business,  such  as  tobacco  and  other  similar 
luxuries.  An  advertisement  for  a  high  grade  bond  paper  is 
injured  by  such  language  as  the  following: 

Armed  with  a  powerful,  smart-looking  letter-head,  you 
Business  Men  can  enter  any  business  port  and  be  dead  sure 
of  a  warm  welcome. 

Copy  for  Technical  Men 

The  problem  of  technical  copy  is  much  the  same.  Tech- 
nical periodicals,  like  business  magazines,  are  read  for  profit 
and  read  while  a  man  is  in  a  business  atmosphere  or  at  any 
rate  in  a  business  mood.  The  copy  must  give  facts  and  give 
them  concisely.  Mere  assertion  has  little  weight.  Charts, 
tabulations  of  figures,  blue-prints,  and  cross-sections  are  all 
useful  in  appealing  to  technical  men.  Human-interest  copy  is 
rarely  of  value,  especially  when  unrelated  to  the  subject,  as 
is  so  often  the  case. 

The  specific  talking  points  used  for  a  single  article  adver- 
tised in  different  technical  papers  vary  according  to  the  class 
appealed  to.  Take  the  case  of  building  materials,  for  exam- 
ple.    They  may  be  advertised  in  general  publications,  contrac- 


Quoth  Sullivan  ;_g^ 

"Yes,  sir,  in  the  old  days  they  laid  the  ^^^^^^ 

stone  cold,  then  they  poured  the  as-  "    * 

phaltoverit;muchofthebitunien  was 
wasted.  The  penetration  was  seldom 
more  than  an  inch  deep.  Generally  it 
was  less  than  that.  Then,  Mr.  Six-Cyl- 
inder comes  along,  going  30  miles  per 
hour,  and  rips  up  the  w^hole  pavement 
We  don't  do  it  that  way  any  more;  now  we  use  a 

SMITH  HOT  MIXER  T 

It  heats  the  stone  to  any  temperature,  350  degrees,  y  "^^ 
if  the  specifications  say  so.  Then  you  run  in  the  as- 
phalt; and  the  whole  mass  is  uniformly  coated  with- 
out wasting  an  ounce  of  bitumen.  There's  no  question 
about  the  penetration.  No  automobile  can  rip  this  sur- 
facing from  the  street.  It's  concrete,  asphaltic  concrete, 
one  of  the  most  lasting  road  surfaces  known  to  science." 


You  can  get  Hot   Mixer  Catalogue  No.   21    from 

(She  T.L.Smith  Co 

1126  3Znd  Street 

Milwaukee*  Wis. 


W.  J.  Cnllen 
New  York  City 

J.  J.  Shannon  C&.  Co. 
PhiUdelphia,  Pa. 


Justifiable  use  of  technical  "  lingo  "  in  a  technical  publication 


262 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  AUDIENCE  263 

tors'  publications,  architects'  publications,  and  engineers'  pub- 
lications. In  the  general  publication,  the  advantages  of  the 
material  from  the  standpoint  of  the  beauty  and  durability  of 
the  finished  structure  are  given.  The  merits  of  the  material 
are  explained  from  the  standpoint  of  the  person  who  is  to 
live  in  the  house.  In  the  engineering  publications,  the  strength 
of  the  material,  its  fire-resisting  power,  or  other  special  points 
may  be  shown  in  comparison  with  those  of  competing  ma- 
terials. In  the  contractors'  publications,  the  copy  may  attempt 
to  show  how  conveniently  and  easily  the  article  may  be  used 
in  building;  how  it  cuts  labor  cost,  etc.  The  architect  may 
be  told  of  the  co-operation  he  can  get  and  of  the  variety  of 
effects  that  he  can  secure.  There  may  be  illustrations  of 
buildings  designed  by  other  architects  using  this  material. 
So  it  is  with  every  article ;  the  arguments  must  be  chosen  from 
the  standpoint  of  the  class,  and  their  interests  kept  in  mind. 

The  simple,  direct  language  that  is  suitable  for  business 
magazines  is  also  good  in  technical  publications  —  indeed,  in 
any  publication  read  chiefly  by  men.  The  technical  publica- 
tion, however,  is  justified  in  using  technical  words  and  phrases 
that  are  peculiar  to  the  class  of  readers.  This  is  one  reason 
why  service  departments  of  such  publications  are  so  useful. 
Their  writers  are  familiar  with  the  "  lingo  "  of  the  audience. 

Most  professional  magazines,  such  as  medical  publications, 
accounting  publications,  and  the  like,  are  governed  by  the 
same  principles  that  apply  to  technical  publications.  The  chief 
difference  is  that  the  professional  publication  usually  has  a 
strict  code  of  ethics  which  prohibits  members  from  vigorous 
advertising  and  they  consequently  demand  more  dignity  in 
the  appeal  which  reaches  them. 

Copy  for  Trade  Papers 

Trade  papers  differ  from  technical  publications  in  several 
important  respects.     Their  readers  are  ordinarily  dealers  who 


^^^^^^ 


Is  this  thp  same  slioe  I  have  been  wearing? 


Doubt  is  the  most  expensive  factor  the  retailer  has  to  deal 
-urith. 

When  the  customer  questions,  the  salesman  has  to  explain. 
That  means  a  loss  of  time.  But  what  is  more  important,  it 
means  that  there  is  no  connecting  link  in  the  customer's  mind 
between  the  goods  she  bought  last  year  at  your  store  and 
what  she  may  get  this  year. 

A  trade  marked  shoe  such  as  the  Dorothy  Dodd  overcomes 
completely  this  difficulty  Therefore,  it  sells  with  less  effort 
and  less  expense  in  time  and  advertising,  and  holds  your  cus- 
tomers from  year  to  year 

If  you  analyze  your  cost  closely  you  know  that  $5.00  is 
OOt^a  high  price  to  pay  for  every  first  sale.     Your  profits 


must  come  through  holding  your  trade  from  year  to  year. 
When  you  handle  an  unnamed  shoe,  what  have  you  to  offer 
that  your  competitor  cannot  duplicate  >  In  other  words, 
what  guarantee  have  you  that  the  customers  you  have  care- 
fully worked  up  this  year  will  not  be  worked  away  from  you 
next  year  by  some  competing  attraction — probably  price> 

Every  customer  made  by  Dorothy  Dodd  dealers  is  like  a 
new  link  forged  in  the  chain  of  success. 


This  is 
Dodd  sho 


iust  one  feature  of  many  that  makes  the  Dorothy 
proposition  attractive. 


Think  this  over — then  ask  for  full  details  about  the  iho* 

nd  the  selling  plan. 


DOROTHY    DODD    SHOE    COMPANY 

101    BICKFORD   STREET,   BOSTON 


Trade  paper  copy  showing  familiarity  with,  the  dealer's  problems 


264 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  AUDIENCE        265 

are  interested  in  articles  mainly  from  the  standpoint  of  sales 
and  profits.  Technical  publications  are  usually  addressed  di- 
rectly to  the  consumer,  who  is  not  interested  in  the  article  for 
resale.  In  trade  advertising,  therefore,  the  copy  usually  pre- 
sents the  merits  of  the  article  from  a  sales  standpoint;  the 
illustration  shows  the  goods  in  large  size  or  in  detail  and  calls 
attention  to  their  selling  value.  The  text  shows  the  selling 
advantages,  the  profits  to  be  made,  and  the  like.  Frequently  it 
also  shows  by  reproduction  or  otherwise  the  advertising  that 
is  being  done  in  general  publications  to  stimulate  a  consumer 
demand.  In  general,  the  advertising  is  informatory  and  con- 
tains a  good  deal  of  the  news  element.  Its  language  is  fre- 
quently colloquial  —  even  slangy  —  and  "  mere  cleverness  " 
is  apparently  effective  at  times. 

Copy  for  Farmers 

The  farmer  as  a  rule  reads  fewer  publications  than  the 
average  business  or  professional  man  and,  consequently,  reads 
them  more  thoroughly.  He  is  inclined  to  deliberate  carefully 
before  deciding  upon  a  purchase.  These  general  considera- 
tions make  several  important  differences  in  the  nature  of  the 
copy  written  to  appeal  to  him.  Display  is  of  minor  impor- 
tance, not  only  because  the  periodical  is  read  carefully  from 
beginning  to  end,  but  also  because  the  quality  of  paper  and 
printing  does  not  allow  the  use  of  a  fine  quality  of  illustra- 
tions. It  is  doubtful,  moreover,  whether  esthetic  considera- 
tions weigh  very  heavily  in  the  farmer's  decision.  Legibility 
rather  than  beauty  is  to  be  sought. 

For  the  same  reasons  the  text  may  contain  a  large  amount 
of  material,  provided  it  is  in  the  nature  of  useful  facts.  Hu- 
man interest  is  sometimes  possible,  but  the  stress  should  be 
laid  upon  reasons  and  a  reason  appeal.  Many  advertisements, 
of  course,  perform  all  the  functions  of  selling,  arousing  the 
emotional  desire  as  well  as  convincing  the  purchaser.     Con- 


266  ADVERTISING  COPY 

viction  is  always  necessary.  The  arguments  that  convince  are 
more  especially  those  which  deal  with  the  qualities  of  dura- 
bility and  economy.  The  price  appeal  is  usually  valuable. 
Details  in  the  construction  of  the  article,  even  to  the  number  of 
coats  of  paint  used  and  side-by-side  comparisons  with  com- 
peting articles,  are  frequently  helpful.  In  fact,  it  may  be  said 
that  all  exact  information  about  an  article  has  weight  with 
the  farmer.  It  is  unnecessary  to  concentrate  upon  the  single 
talking  point  that  is  most  distinctive. 

The  evidence  chosen  should  be  of  a  kind  to  arouse  confi- 
dence. Testimony,  if  used,  should  be  that  of  other  farmers, 
expressed  in  their  own  language  so  far  as  possible,  even  though 
this  may  be  slightly  ungrammatical.  An  important  kind  of 
evidence  is  in  the  form  of  guarantees,  either  by  the  advertiser 
or  by  the  publication.  Many  farm  publications  have  adopted 
the  policy  of  standing  back  of  their  advertisers  and  agreeing 
to  straighten  out  any  difficulties  which  may  he  caused  by  dis- 
satisfaction with  purchases  made  as  a  result  of  their  advertise- 
ments. 

The  personal  point  of  view,  in  which  the  advertiser  uses 
the  word  /  liberally,  is  especially  good  for  farm  advertising. 
In  all  cases  the  language  should  be  simple,  without  the  sug- 
gestion of  pretentiousness.  It  is  possible  sometimes  to  go  to 
the  extreme  of  colloquialism  and,  since  most  farm  papers  have 
a  sectional  distribution,  localisms  are  not  objectionable.  Anal- 
ogies and  figures  of  speech  from  the  farmer's  experience  lend 
force  —  as.  for  example,  "  Buy  your  tires  as  you  buy  your 
binder,"  or,  "  The  bed  of  the  wagon  is  only  hip-high.''  In 
connection  with  this  point,  however,  it  is  well  to  add  a  warn- 
ing that  the  so-called  "  Rube  language  "  is  likely  to  be  fatal 
to  success.  The  farmer  of  today  is  usually  an  intelligent  per- 
son with  a  fair  degree  of  education  and  resents  any  tone  of 
patronage  or  implication  of  inferiority.  It  is  well  to  consider 
him  as  an  unusually  careful  business  man  who  is  not  in  a  hurry 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  AUDIENCE        267 

and  who  wants  a  sound  business  reason  for  anything  he  is 
urged  to  do  or  to  buy. 

Copy  That  Appeals  to  Women 

GeneraHzations  about  advertising  to  women  are  pecuHarly 
difficult  because  the  first  generalization  is  that  a  woman  does 
not  care  to  be  treated  simply  as  a  member  of  a  general  class. 
She  prefers  to  be  treated  as  an  individual.  This  fact  should 
be  remembered  in  writing  copy,  and  wherever  possible  her 
judgment  should  be  appealed  to.  (See  page  271.)  There 
are,  however,  certain  general  class  characteristics  which  dis- 
tinguish women  as  a  whole  from  men  and  influence  the  nature 
of  the  copy  that  should  be  used  in  women's  publications. 

The  first  important  distinction  is  that  women  as  a  whole  are 
more  suggestible  than  men.  They  are  more  easily  influenced 
by  their  emotions,  and  by  the  ideas  which  are  associated  with, 
but  not  directly  conveyed  by,  the  illustrations,  words,  and 
other  symbols  used  in  an  advertising  message.  For  this,  rea- 
son human-interest  copy  and  the  liberal  use  of  illustrations, 
especially  those  which  tell  the  story,  are  especially  desirable 
in  advertising  to  women.  Text  is  relatively  less  important, 
for  it  is  not  easy  to  make  a  strong  appeal  to  the  emotions  by 
means  of  words. 

The  esthetic  sense  is  more  highly  developed  in  women  than 
in  men.  Proper  balance,  harmony,  and  all  other  things  which 
make  for  artistic  beauty  are  almost  essential.  It  is  only  neces- 
sary to  contrast  the  advertising  pages  of  such  a  publication  as 
Vogue,  or  TJie  Ladies  Home  Journal,  with  those  of  System, 
or  The  Iron  Age,  to  see  the  absolute  necessity  of  an  artistic 
appearance  in  advertising  to  women.  Hand  lettering,  liberal 
white  space,  and  the  like,  to  mention  only  a  few,  are  among  the 
valuable  means  of  appealing  to  women. 

For  the  same  reasons  the  language  used  in  the  text  should 
be  absolutely  correct,  with  a  slight  leaning  toward  formaHty 


lO^c  More  for  Your  Money 

Quaker  Oats  is  put  up  also  in  a  25-ccnt  size,  nearly  three 
times  as  large  as  the  lo-cent  size.  By  saving  in  packing  il  offers 
you  10  per  cent  more  for  your  money.     See  how  long  it  lasts. 


Do  You  Know  the  Wealth  of 


That  Lies  in  Quaker  Oats? 

There  is  one  grain  in  which  Nature 
stores  an  exuberance  of  vim.  Fed  to  mankind 
or  to  animals,  it  breeds  spirit  and  vitality. 

For  ages  men  have  known  this.  Among  the 
intelligent,  children  all  the  world  over  are  being 
brought  up  on  this  grain. 

Quaker  Oats  presents  this  grain  in  its  most 
delicious  form.  It  brings  it  to  you  in  large, 
luscious  flakes,  matchless  in  taste  and  aroma. 

The  result  is,  children  love  it.  They  eat  an 
abundance.  And  every  energy-laden  taste  be- 
comes a  new  source  of  vivacity. 

That's  why  the  mothers  of  a  hundred  nations 
no\v  send  here  for  Quaker  Oats. 

Qujiaker  Oats 

Is  Vim-Food  Made  Delightful 


Ojt 


No  puny  grains— which   1 
flavor— arc  used   in  Quaker 
Wc   pick  oul  only  the   big,   plu 
grains,  so  wc  get  but 
ten  pounds  of  Quaker 
Oats  from  a  bushel. 

We  apply  drv  heat, 
then  steam  hea't.    Our 


The 


^ou  get  thos 
luscious  flakes— an 
those    alone  —  whc 


Quaker 
Cooker 

Veh.vc  made  to  our 
er  — from  pure  Alu. 
lum — a  perfect    Dou. 


sk   for   Quaker  Oa 


food   at 
u    get   it  i 


IS    best, 
templ- 


of  these  facts, 
Hon  dishes  ar 
served  cv-ry  ye 


ing    this   fcxxl 
light    you,   an 


lOc  and  25c  per  Package 
Except  in  Far  Wesl  and  South 


Copy  poorly  adapted  to  high-class  woman's  puMication,  because  of 

exaggerated  language  and  sensational  tone 

268 


Therefore — 

A  wide  selection  of  Quaker 
Laces  reflecting  inspired  Euro- 
pean styles,  unquestioned  taste, 
conceded  beauty! 

Quaker  Laces  in  the  newest  motifs, 
freshest  notes  —  all  crystallized  in 
authoritative  American  styles! 

Quaker  Laces  suited  .to  Russian 
Tunic  Effects,  to  over-drapes,  to 
flounces,  to  ruffles! 

Also  Quaker  I-ace  novelties — flesh- 
colored  laces,  delicate  Chantill>s,  42- 
inch  flounces,  Margot  flounces,  Com- 
bination Camisole  flounces! 

We  have  anticipated  Fashion's 
trend — created  new  Quaker  designs 
in  American  styles  ready  for  the 
moment.     The  moment  is  now 

The  "fascinating  feminine"  has 
but  to  choose!  Simply  let  her  look 
for  the  blue  card  with  the  Quaker 
head  atop.  That  adds  authority  to 
her  selection. 

QUAKER  LACES 

Send  for  the  Quaker  Book  of   Fall  Fashions, 
conrammg     style    su»:gcstion<    for    women's 


Refined  and  charming;  very  nearly  ideal  for  high-class  woman's 

publication 

269 


270  ADVERTISING  COPY 

and  dignity.  Colloquialisms,  slang,  technical  lingo,  are  alike 
dangerous.  On  the  other  hand,  figurative  expressions  that 
bring  to  the  mind  pleasant  associations  increase  the  effective- 
ness of  the  appeal. 

"  Reason- Why  "  Copy  for  Women 

If  reason-why  copy  is  used  —  and  in  some  cases  it  is  appro- 
priate —  the  arguments  that  appeal  most  are  those  in  which 
health,  beauty,  pride,  style,  the  maternal  instinct,  cleanliness, 
or  economy  are  dominant.  Evidence  of  facts  and  figures  is 
ordinarily  useless.  In  selling  such  a  food  product  as  beans, 
for  example,  it  does  not  help  the  cause  to  give  copious  statistics 
as  to  the  number  of  bushels  of  beans  used  yearly,  or  the  num- 
ber of  tin  cans  required  to  pack  a  month's  supply.  Such  evi- 
dence harms  rather  than  helps,  because  the  associations  of  thou- 
sands of  tin  cans  is  not  pleasant  and,  incidentally,  takes  away 
from  the  individuality  of  the  appeal.  A  better  kind  of  evi- 
dence is  that  of  authority  —  the  testimony  of  some  prominent 
man  or  woman,  such  as  Anna  Pavlowa  or  Dr.  Wiley. 

A  large  proportion  of  women,  of  course,  are  influenced 
by  the  bargain  appeal,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  advertising  of 
retail  and  department  stores.  Premiums,  likewise,  are  useful 
as  an  inducement.  Even  the  coupon  system  of  the  United 
Cigar  Stores  Company  exists  largely  for  the  benefit  of  women, 
as  may  be  ascertained  by  a  casual  survey  of  the  catalogue  of 
premiums,  or  by  an  inspection  of  the  premium  departments 
of  these  stores.  It  has  also  been  found  valuable  to  feature 
samples,  booklets,  and  the  like  in  the  copy,  as  an  inducement 
to  response.  Free  gifts  have  been  responsible  for  the  success 
of  many  articles  advertised  to  women. 

A  distinction,  of  course,  should  be  made  between  the  differ- 
ent classes  of  women's  publications,  but  this  distinction  is  not 
one  caused  by  the  functions  of  the  publications,  but  rather 
by   their   social   class    determined    by    the   price.     From    the 


wou 


tAis  ^rfume  lest  ? 


in  mis 


HE  test  was  made  by  103  representative  women,  comparing  six  perfumes- 
three  of  whicli  were  the  most  popular  foreign  perfumes  and  three  were 
domestic,  made  by  Colgate  &  Co.  Over  Vs  of  the  103  women  chose 
Colgate's  in  preference  to  the  imported.  Before  making  the  test  61  of 
the  103  said  they  preferred  a  foreign  perfume,  yet  when  the  influence  of  a  foreign 
label  was  removed  41  of  these  61,  or  V3  of  them,  chose  Colgate's  first. 

Every  woman  will  be  interested  in  the  story  of  this  test 


This  Is 

the  Way  They  Chose 

First  clioice  0/  28  * 

om*Ti,  Colfite' 

Florient 

Firsl  clioice  o(  l2wonw 

n,  Fore! 

n  Pf rfunie  2 

t)mfn.Colgite'; 

Spltmlor 

Firltdtoiceof  lOwonii 

.1  Pj.lome  s 

f.rsicltoiceo(l8* 

firit  clioke  o(  9  wonw 

.Cdea 

Kote  tbest  little  stories  of  women  who  had 

been  buying 

a  label  rather  than  a  perfume. 

t,  who  lud  F 

reviousfy 

Three  Sm\i\\  Collie 

l^rls  In 

tike  manner 

passed  by  ihtir  unlibtled  tvaisid  choice  aitd    I 

peiitd  to  be  in  tins 

int,  pUccd  th; 

perfume 

two  chose  Splendor,  on 

Ecb(. 

.ber  of  Ihe  tt 

lior  clut 

Iwse  Colpie' 

alllMtisbeitHiperfuine 

foreigi 

ordonieslic. 

alttwush  wlut  site 

boutbl  w«  h. 

chose  Colcale's  SpletvJ 

r  afler 

P«rfuine  wis  in  this  ttsi,  uvi  ucordnl  Itut 

preference  (or  a  famou 

perfume  i.w 

perfuitte  fifth  pUce. 

epulin 

It  shows  very  clearly  that 
selecting  a  perfume  because 
it  has  a  foreign  lat)el  does 
not  necessarily  result  in  a 
woman's  getting  what  she 
.  really  prefers. 

The  test  was  conducted  as 
follows  by  two  impartial 
judges  (Mr.  F.  N.  Double- 
day  of  Doubleday,  Page  & 
Co.;  Mr.  S.Keith  Evans  of 
the  Woman's  Home  Com- 
panion). They  purchased 
three  of  the  most  popular 
imported  perfumes  and  three  Colgate  perfumes— all  in  origi- 
nal unopened  bottles.  The  judges  poured  the  perfumes  into 
six  plain  bottles,  numbered  from  one  to  six,  and  kept  a  record 
by  which  they  alone  knew  which  number  represented  each 
perfume.  From  'time  to  time  strips  of  Perfumers'  Blotting 
Paper  were  scented  from  the  numbered  bottles  under  the  su- 
pervisionofthejudges.andthesewereusedinmakingthetest. 
The  103  women  represented  business  women,  the  stage,  the 


editorial  staffs  of  two  wom- 
en's magazines  and  college 
women.  Each  was  asked  to 
name  the  perfume  she  was  in 
the  habit  of  using  and  was 
then  given  6  strips  of  the 
scented  paper  numbered  1  to  6 
corresponding  to  the  num- 
bers on  the  bottles.  She  was 
asked  to  make  a  first  choice, 
a  second,  a  third,  etc.  Rec- 
ord was  kept  of  a//  selections. 
When  the  tests  were  com- 
pleted the  judges  took  the 
record,  and  inserted  the  names  of  the  perfumes  in  place  of  the 
numbers  from  the  key  which  they  alone  had.  The  result  was 
then  announced  to  Colgate  &  Co.  It  was  a  daring  test— in- 
spired by  the  confidence  which  we  had  in  the  superiority  of 
our  perfumes.  How  is  your  choice  of  perfumes  determined? 
By  what  you  really  prefer  or  by  a  foreign  label  i'  Is  it  not 
possible  that  a  domestic  label  is  keeping  you  from  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  particular  perfume  you  would  naturally  select? 


Would  You  like  to  make  the  Test  for  yourself? 


If  so,  we  will  send  you  three  Perfumers'  Testing  Strips, 
three  miniature  vials  of  the  Colgate  Perfumes— Florient, 
Splendor  and  Eclat — and  an  extra  strip  of  paper  so  that 
you  can  make  a  comparison  between  Colgate's  and  the 
perfume  which  you  may  now  be  using. 


This  test  will  not  only  be  valuable  to  you  but  can  be 
used  as  an  interesting  form  of  entertainment  for  your 
friends.  We  will  send  full  instructions  as  to  how  to  make 
the  test.  Your  name  and  address  and  a  2c  stamp  for  mailing 
will  receive  prompt  attention. 


Wr/fc  loday  for  details  showing  how  lo  make  llu  lest  yourself 
COLGATE    &   CO.,    Perfume    Contest,  Dept.  4  5,    199    Fulton   Street.    New    York 


Effective  reason-why  appeal  to  women 


271 


PACKAKD 

BEAUTY  is  a  human  necessity.  Taste  is  the 
faculty  of  discerning  it. 
Every  time  we  make  a  selection  for  our- 
selves,  our  home  or  our  friends,  we  are  revealing 
■Our  true  selves,  and  putting  ourselves  on  record  as 
possessing  taste  or  lacking  it. 

As  wc  read  the  story  of  the  ages  we  are  re- 
minded  that  certain  qualities  which  men  have  woven, 
and  carved,  and  infused  into  their  works  have 
lived  because  they  have  satisfied  human  demands; 
and  while  it  is  true  that  some  will  manufacture  the 
things  the  many  require,  it  is  also  true  that  the 
many  will  demand  better  things. 

Prestige  of  the  producer  increases  in  direct  ratio 
as  raw  material  is  advanced  from  the  level  of  mere 
utility  to  the  higher  one  that  seeks  also  to  beautify 
and  convey  esthetic  satisfaction. 

FROM  A  MONOGRAPH  ON  "TASTr  PUBUSKED  IN  TKE  GRAPHIC  ARTS 

Ask  the  man  who  oions  one 


PACKARD  MOTOR  CAR  COMPANY  DETROIT 


The  perfect  balance  and   restraint  of  this  copy  and  its  arrangement 
wins  confidence 


272 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  AUDIENCE        273 

thirty-five  cent  publications,  like  Vogue,  to  the  ten  cent,  like 
McCall's,  and  to  the  even  cheaper  publications,  like  Comfort, 
with  their  circulation  lodged  in  the  small  villages,  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  space  is  taken  up  with  fashions;  the  remainder 
with  household  suggestions  and  stories  of  a  sentimental  char- 
acter. The  differences  between  the  publications  are  largely 
social,  not  functional.  The  appeal  is  the  same  except  that 
in  the  more  expensive  publications  the  appeal  of  style,  beauty 
and  exclusiveness  is  greatest;  whereas  in  the  cheap  publica- 
tions, the  bargain  appeal  takes  first  place. 

In  the  cheaper  publications,  too,  the  language  may  be  sim- 
ple and  approach  more  nearly  the  language  of  farm  paper 
advertising.  In  the  high-priced  publications,  on  the  other 
hand,  whole  sentences  are  given  in  French,  frequently  with- 
out translation.  Only  a  small  proportion  of  the  readers  prob- 
ably understand  what  is  said,  but  all  of  them  feel  the  compli- 
ment. It  is  simply  an  extreme  case,  illustrative  of  the  fact 
that  suggestion  is  more  important  than  direct  meaning  in  the 
text  of  advertisements  to  women. 

Miscellaneous  Copy  Problems 

The  classes  discussed  above  are  by  no  means  all  those 
which  are  reached  by  special  publications.  There  are  chil- 
dren's magazines,  religious  periodicals,  sporting  and  theatrical 
papers  and  innumerable  others,  each  with  its  own  special  copy 
problem.  It  can  generally  be  solved,  however,  if  the  writer 
will  take  the  trouble  to  gain  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  class  and  then  write  the  copy  from  their  stand- 
point. Only  when  this  is  done  can  advertising  reach  its  high- 
est point  of  efficiency.  The  too  general  practice  of  construct- 
ing an  advertisement  for  a  general  magazine  and  then  insert- 
ing it  with  practically  no  change  in  children's  magazines,  busi- 
ness magazines,  and  women's  magazines  is  wasteful.  While 
it  may  be  true  that  the  buyers  are  the  same  people,  no  matter 


The  cjiief  merit  of  this  copy  Hes  in  its  suggestive  power.     Note  the  use 

of  French 


274 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  AUDIENCE        275 

where  they  see  the  advertisement,  there  is  a  vast  difference  in 
their  mood  and  attitude  in  reading  different  pubh cations  and 
that  attitude  is  carried  over  from  the  reading  pages  into  the 
advertising  copy.  All  advertising  copy  in  class  publications 
of  whatever  type  should  be  built  according  to  the  Golden  Rule 
of  adaptation  to  the  reader. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  DISPLAY 

Relative  Importance  of  Display  and  Text 

The  message  of  an  advertisement  is  conveyed  by  various 
symbols.  By  general  consent  they  are  divided  into  two 
classes :  words,  or  the  "  copy  "  or  "  text  " ;  and  illustrations, 
color,  type,  ornament  and  texture,  or  the  "  display."  Few 
copy-writers  are  able  to  execute  the  display ;  fewer  artists  are 
able  to  write  the  copy.  The  matter  of  combining  the  two  so 
as  to  reach  their  greatest  efifectiveness  is  therefore  difficult. 

Three  methods  are  in  common  use.  The  first,  and  poor- 
est, is  to  have  an  artist  arrange  the  display  and  then  have  a 
copy-writer  build  the  text  to  accompany  it.  Copy  written 
under  such  conditions  is  likely  to  be  "  a  hole  in  the  advertise- 
ment filled  with  words."  A  better  method  is  to  write  the 
copy  first  and  then  have  it  properly  displayed  by  an  artist. 
Best  of  all  is  the  method  of  having  both  text  and  display  han- 
dled together  by  the  copy-writer,  even  though  an  artist  may 
later  be  asked  to  execute  the  finished  illustration  and  layout. 
At  any  rate  the  writer  of  the  copy  should  be  in  control  of  the 
advertisement  and  see  that  text  and  display  are  properly  re- 
lated. 

An  advertisement  should  be  a  unit.  Unless  its  text  and 
display  work  together  in  harmony  a  large  part  of  its  efTect 
is  bound  to  be  lost.  The  builder  of  the  advertisement  should 
visualize  it  as  it  will  appear  in  the  pages  of  the  publication. 
Many  copy-writers  never  write  a  word  of  the  text  until  they 
have  made  rough  layouts  in  the  size  and  shape  demanded  and 
w^th  sufficient  detail  of  illustration  and  display  elements  to 

276 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  DISPLAY  ^77 

enable  them  to  work  intelligently  with  the  finished  product 
always  in  mind.  They  follow  this  practice  whether  they  want 
an  advertisement  that  consists  largely  of  illustrations  and 
other  display  elements,  or  an  advertisement  that  is  wholly  or 
almost  wholly  text. 

People  are  interested  in  advertisements  by  very  much  the 
same  elements  that  interest  them  in  books  or  magazine  articles. 
These  are,  roughly  speaking,  the  subject,  the  advertiser,  the 
picture,  and  the  headline.  When  a  man  is  interested  in  buy- 
ing a  motor  boat  he  will,  of  course,  pay  particular  attention 
to  advertisements  of  motor  boats  and  engines.  So  with  any 
other  article.  That  is  one  reason  why  publications  that  have 
obtained  a  large  amount  of  advertising  of  some  particular  type 
of  article  find  it  easier  to  get  others.  Buyers  naturallv  look 
to  this  publication  to  find  the  latest  announcements  of  differ- 
ent firms  in  the  field,  and  thus  get  as  large  a  basis  as  possible 
for  comparison. 

As  the  people  who  are  interested  in  the  subject  are  the  best 
of  all  possible  prospects,  a  bulky  advertising  section,  which 
lessens  the  attention  value  of  any  individual  advertisement, 
frequently  counterbalances  the  loss  by  an  increased  interest 
value.  Readers  turn  to  this  section  as  they  turn  to  the  market 
section  of  a  city,  where  most  of  the  stores  of  the  kind  in 
which  they  are  interested  are  grouped.  It  sometimes  happens 
that  a  publication  of  no  intrinsic  merit  for  a  certain  field  has 
acquired  it  through  the  advertising  of  different  firms  in  that 
field,  and  has  become  a  good  medium  for  automobile  adver- 
tising, for  educational  advertising,  for  sporting  goods  adver- 
tising, and  so  on. 

The  Factors  That  Attract 

Some  readers  are  interested  in  the  name  of  the  advertiser. 
This  is  true,  however,  only  of  a  small  percentage  of  adver- 
tisers and  those  of  commanding  importance  in   their  fields. 


278  ADVERTISING  COPY 

The  names  of  Tiffany,  Colgate,  Pillsbury,  or  Waterman,  have 
some  value  in  attracting  readers,  a  value  that  has  been  built 
up  by  a  long  process  of  advertising  or  long  experience  in  doing 
business.  There  was  a  time  when  the  advertisements  signed 
by  Seymour  Eaton  or  Thomas  W.  Lawson  were  read  because 
of  the  author's  name,  just  as  the  stories  of  Jack  London,  Rob- 
ert W.  Chambers,  or  George  Randolph  Chester  invited  read- 
ing simply  because  of  the  author's  reputation.  Alany  adver- 
tisers who  have  not  this  reputation  or  any  past  history  to 
fall  back  upon  adopt  the  same  method  with  poor  results. 
The  names  of  Jackson,  Lee,  and  Jones  bring  no  particular  sug- 
gestion to  the  average  mind.  It  is,  therefore,  inadvisable  for 
such  an  advertiser,  or  any  new  advertiser,  to  place  his  name  in 
the  most  prominent  position  in  the  advertisement,  or  to  make 
it  in  any  way  the  dominant  factor  in  the  display.  It  does 
not  attract  readers. 

Unless  readers  are  interested  in  the  su1)ject  or  in  the  name 
of  the  advertiser  the  attraction  must  come  either  through  the 
illustration  or  through  the  headline.  By  illustration,  of  course, 
we  mean  not  merely  a  picture,  but  also  anv  display  factor  which 
is  in  itself  alluring.  As  a  rule,  however,  people  are  interested 
most  in  pictures.  More  than  half  of  the  people  who  read  a 
magazine  story  look  at  its  illustrations  first.  Only  those  maga- 
zines which  appeal  to  the  cultured,  discriminating  reader  can 
afford  to  dispense  with  illustrations.  In  just  the  same  wav, 
only  those  advertisements  which  have  their  appeal  largelv  to 
intelligence  can  afford  to  neglect  this  important  factor  of  at- 
traction. 

Publicity  Copy 

In  advertisements  that  exist  largely  for  publicity,  i.e..  for 
getting  the  attention  and  interest  of  as  large  a  number  of  read- 
ers as  possible,  the  illustration  may  be  the  dominating  feature. 
The  artist  should  l)e  allowed  the  greatest  amount  of  space  and 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  DISPLAY  279 

the  best  opportunities.  The  picture  is  all-important;  in  fact, 
sometimes  it  tells  the  whole  story.  This  method  of  adver- 
tising is  especially  good  for  the  commoner  food  products,  such 
as  prepared  cereals. 

The  Kellogg  Toasted  Corn  Flake  Company  once  held  a 
competition  for  artists  with  a  first  prize  of  $1,500.  The  pic- 
tures were  simply  to  deal  with  child-life  in  such  a-  way  as  to 
advertise  Kellogg  Toasted  Corn  Flakes.  It  was  the  theory 
of  the  advertiser  —  doubtless  the  correct  theory  —  that  an 
attractive  illustration  of  child-life,  with  a  taste  suggestion, 
would  do  more  to  sell  his  products  than  any  amount  of  text. 
His  main  object,  therefore,  was  to  get  these  attractive  illus- 
trations, and  for  that  purpose  he  was  willing  to  pay  a  large 
sum  to  have  the  work  done  by  the  best  artists  that  could  be 
secured.  The  advertisements  of  Cream  of  Wheat  likewise  are 
almost  entirely  illustration  —  only  the  name  of  the  article  and 
some  caption  are  usually  added.  Such  a  method  is,  of  course, 
ideal  for  these  cases.  It  would  not  be  good,  however,  for 
some  article  of  less  common  use  or  less  extensive  distribution. 

Inquiry  Copy 

^^'he^e  the  purpose  of  the  advertisement  is  to  get  direct  or- 
ders or  inquiries,  the  picture  and  other  display  elements  are 
much  less  important.  The  text  is  the  all-important  thing. 
Many  advertisements  of  this  type  are  shockingly  bad  in  ap- 
pearance, full  of  closely  printed  matter,  broken  up  into  small, 
ugly-shaped  chunks,  unbalanced,  full  of  smudgy  lines  —  the 
kind  that  have  been  aptly  called  "  eye-killers."  Yet  frequently 
they  produce  an  astonishing  volume  of  business.  Regardless 
of  their  form  they  contain  the  facts  the  reader  wants.  This 
type  of  advertisement  is  frequently  called  the  mail-order  type, 
because  it  is  used  in  the  great  majority  of  mail  order  proposi- 
tions. 

Even  where  the  picture  is  used  in  mail  order  copy,    fre- 


28o  ADVERTISING  COPY 

quently  it  is  not  wholly  or  even  mainly  for  attraction.  Often 
it  is  the  illustration  of  the  article  to  be  sold,  or  of  the  booklet 
to  be  sent  upon  request.  It  is  rarely  that  the  whole  story 
should  be  told  in  the  picture  and  it  should  usually  be  subordi- 
nated in  size  and  in  other  ways  to  the  text. 

Between  the  extremes  of  pure  publicity  advertising  and 
mail  order  advertising  are  all  gradations.  Most  advertise- 
ments combine  the  purposes  of  publicity  and  inquiry-getting. 
From  the  stress  laid  upon  these  two  purposes,  roughly  speak- 
ing, depends  the  relative  importance  of  display  and  text. 
Other  factors,  of  course,  enter,  such  as  the  degree  of  educa- 
tion and  culture  of  the  class  appealed  to  and  the  size  and  im- 
portance of  the  advertiser.  These,  however,  have  already  been 
sufficiently  considered.  In  general,  the  small  unknown  adver- 
tiser should  place  his  reliance  upon  text  rather  than  display. 

In  advertisements  that  exist  mainly  for  the  sake  of  direct 
inquiries  and  orders,  and  in  most  other  advertisements  that  de- 
pend largely  upon  a  reason  appeal,  copy  is  more  important  than 
display.  Frequently  it  is  only  necessary  to  see  that  the  dis- 
play does  not  detract  from  the  message  in  words.  Even  if 
it  does  detract,  the  advertisement  may  ])ay,  because  of  suffi- 
cient strength  in  the  copy  and  thus  lead  the  advertiser  to  the 
erroneous  conclusion  that  artistic  quality  is  of  no  impor- 
tance. Good  copy  often  succeeds  in  spite  of  poor  display;  it 
succeeds  better  when  coupled  with  good  display. 

Type  Display 

The  simplest  form  of  display  is  created  by  setting  impor- 
tant points  of  the  copy  in  bold- face  type.  There  should  not 
be  more  than  three  points  emphasized  in  this  wav;  otherwise 
there  will  be  too  many  things  competing  for  attention  at  once. 
Moreover  the  continuous  use  of  a  single  method  of  emphasis 
nullifies  its  value  for  its  purpose.  Three  display  lines  work 
well  together.     Two  are  often  enough. 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  -BY  DISPLAY  281 

These  display  lines  should  be  in  proper  position  and  se- 
quence. The  theoretically  ideal  form  is  to  have  the  most 
important  one  at  the  top,  as  a  headline ;  the  second  at  the 
optical  center;  and  the  third  at  the  bottom.  Taken  together 
the  three  display  lines  give  the  gist  of  the  message.  This 
theoretically  ideal  form  is  found  in  a  surprisingly  large  num- 
ber of  advertisements,  and  is  capable  of  many  effective  varia- 
tions. There  are,  however,  other  arrangements  of  display 
lines  that  are  equally  effective. 

Headlines 

In  a  large  proportion  of  advertisements  the  headline  is 
relied  upon  to  secure  attention  and  interest.  Even  where 
display  first  draws  the  eye,  a  headline  is  frequently  necessary 
as  a  secondary  attraction  to  secure  a  reading  of  the  copy. 
The  difference  between  two  headlines  has  often  been  the 
difference  between  success  and  failure  in  an  advertisement.  It 
is  said  that  the  simple  change  of  a  headline  from  "  Cold  Feet " 
to  "  Warm  Feet "  greatly  increased  the  productiveness  of  a 
medical  advertisement.  For  this  reason  it  is  wise  to  study 
some  of  the  fundamental  requirements  of  good  headlines. 

A  headline  may  be  regarded  somewhat  in  the  light  of  a 
title  to  a  magazine  story  or  a  newspaper  item.  There  is  a 
slight  distinction  to  be  made,  however,  between  headlines  for 
inquiry-getting  advertisements,  and  headlines  for  publicity  ad- 
vertisements. In  the  latter  case  the  headline,  like  that  of  a 
newspaper  article,  may  tell  the  whole  story,  or  the  most  im- 
portant part  of  it.  In  the  former  case,  since  results  depend 
upon  complete  reading,  the  headline  is  more  like  that  of  a 
magazine  story ;  it  aims  to  stimulate  curiosity.  In  either  case 
it  should  be  short,  specific,  apt,  original,  and  interesting. 

These  requirements  are  not  of  equal  importance,  nor  is  it 
possible  to  make  every  headline  conform  to  all  of  them.  Any 
one  of  them  may  be  sacrificed  for  good  reasons.     They  are, 


282  ADVERTISING  COPY 

however,  good  working  principles,  which  may  be  followed  in 
the  majority  of  cases. 

Headlines  —  Brevity 

Brevity  is  an  obvious  necessity,  for  reasons  that  have  been 
made  clear  in  the  section  of  this  volume  that  deals  with  psy- 
chological factors.  Four  words  are  about  all  that  the  average 
eye  and  mind  can  grasp  at  a  single  glance.  This  does  not  mean 
that  no  headline  should  contain  more  thai:  four  words.  It 
means  that  undue  length  should  be  avoided.  Such  a  headline 
as  "  The  Thrill  of  Leading  a  Great  Orchestra  in  Great  Music 
is  Yours  "  might  profitably  be  contracted  to  "  The  Thrill  of 
Leading  a  Great  Orchestra  is  Yours:'  In  the  revised  head- 
line there  are  more  than  four  words,  but  only  four  word- 
groups. 

The  advantage  of  brevity  may  also  be  seen  by  comparing 
such  a  cumbersome  headline  as  "Ask  the  Man  in  the  Street 
uhat  he  tJiiiiks  of  the  Chalmers  Automobile  "  with  the  crisp 
headline  actually  used,  "  Ask  Bill." 

If  the  headline  must  contain  more  than  four  words  it  is 
wise  to  put  only  four  or  five  on  one  line.     For  example : 

Build  a  $5,000  Business 
of  Your  Ozvn  —  Be  Independent 

or 

A  Summer  Without  Rent 
and  Housezvork  Only  Play 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  second  line  should  be  shorter 
than  the  first.  To  accomplish  this  it  may  be  necessary  to  set 
the  second  line  in  smaller  type  than  the  first. 

Headlines  —  Specificness 

The  headline  should  be  specific.  Such  generalities  as  Wis- 
dom, The  Truth,  Character  and  Reputation,  Easy  Economies, 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  DISPLAY  283 

or  Cheapest  and  Best  have  little  value  for  the  average  reader. 
The  broad,  sweeping  statement  passes  over  his  head  where 
some  definite  fact,  such  as  "  $200  Buried  "  or  "  Average  Profit 
$2.po  per  tire  "  would  catch  his  attention  instantly.  Labora- 
tory tests  of  the  reading  of  advertisements  have  proved  con- 
clusively that  a  specific  headline  is  much  more  certain  to  lead 
to  a  reading  of  the  advertisement  than  a  headline  that  is  vague 
and  general.  This  fact  can  be  seen  also  from  a  comparison 
of  the  following  two  headlines  for  the  same  automobile : 

Best  tzvo  passenger  automobile  'in  the 
world  at  anywhere  near  the  price. 

This  chain  of  evidence  proves  Saxon  worth. 

Or  again  compare  the  two  following  headlines : 

Here  are  tn'o  favorites;  take  your  choice. 

I  want  you  to  choose  hetzveen  these  tzvo  shapes. 

The  latter  headlines  were  each  used  with  a  piece  of  mail  order 
copy  for  cigars,  which  were  the  same  in  display  and  sub- 
stantially the  same  in  text.  Each  illustrated  two  shapes  of 
cigars.  The  second  advertisement  proved  far  more  success- 
ful than  the  first  and  the  success  was  due  largely  to  the  more 
specific  command  of  the  second  headline. 

Headlines  —  Aptness 

Closely  connected  with  the  requirement  of  having  the  head- 
line specific  is  the  requirement  of  having  it  apt.  "  Blind  " 
headlines  such  as  "Burglars"  for  a  breakfast  food;  "Off 
Key  "  for  a  coffee  substitute ;  '"  How  Very  Comfortable  "  for 
soap  are  of  no  particular  value.  Even  though  they  may  lead 
to  reading  of  the  advertisement  they  do  so  by  deceit  and  do 
not  strengthen  the  power  of  the  copy.  Many  others,  such  as 
"  Safety  "  for  revolvers,  or  "  A  Narrozv  Escape  "  for  insur- 
ance, w'hile  they  have  a  certain  amount  of  appropriateness  for 


284 


ADVERTISING  COPY 


White  sheep  give  more  wool 
than  black  sheep— there  are 
more  of  them. 


the  article  advertised  are  still  lacking  in  aptness  because  they 
are   equally   appropriate    for  many   other   articles.     "  White 

sheep  give  more  wool  than 
black  sheep  —  there  am 
more  of  them  "  is  not  only 
faulty  in  its  extreme  length, 
but  in  its  total  lack  of  apt- 
ness for  a  typewriter,  which 
was  the  article  advertised. 
The  deficiency  of  such 
blind  headlines  is  all  the 
more  apparent  when  we 
consider  such  apt  headlines 
as  "  Get  a  full  measure  of 
light  "  or  "  Three  lamps 
for  the  price  of  one."  If 
it  is  impossible  to  have  apt 
headlines  otherwise,  the 
name  of  the  article  or  of 
the  advertiser  may  well  be 
used,  as  for  example,  "  An 
eight  cylinder  Cadillac." 
This  may  be  deficient  from 
some  other  standpoints,  but 
there  is  no  question  as  to  its  aptness.  Prol)ably  it  would  be 
sufficiently  interesting  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  best 
prospects. 


PEMINGTON 

l.^tt  ol   the  world's 
tteno£raph«rs — there 
Naiure  only  know,  why  ihere  ai 
while  thcep  (hin  bbck 
All  the  world  knows  why  there  a 
Rcininpon  operators  than  othci 
REMINGTON  It  the   mac 

which  the  most  operators  have  confi-      „y  „!  cood  stenoeraphers  a. .  ^^^^^^^^^^^ 
(fence— and  the  machine  whicif  gives      trained  and  "co  to  work  the  hrst  da) 
!2i  without  btcakinj  in    ■ 


iphers  do  REMINGTON  IS  the  machine  in 
han  other  which  the  ma;orit>  ol  yood  business 
c  o(  them.  schools  have  confidence— the  confidence 
■  are  mor*  *°  ^^^"  *^"'  competent,  efficient  opera- 
tors—the th.ni:  on  which  the  very  h(e 
of  these  schools  depends 
'"""""  REMINGTON  is  the  machine  m 
which  business  men  and  business  houses 
e^becausc  the  big  maior- 


them  the  confidence  t 


12,500,000  Remington   letters 

mailed.intheUnitedStatcscverybusincssdayintheyear 

lichinr^'  lor  your  office* 
ivm  (or  rvpfwnicr    etficicnrf 


hn'i  that  the  answer  10  the  question, 
Throuehoiit  (he  world  Remingioil  ( 
1$  the  voice  .jf  ihe  business  world. 


R 


emi  ngton 

Typewriter  Company 

New  York-  and  Everywhere 


"  Blind  "  headline 


Headlines  —  Originality 

The  requirement  of  originality  in  a  headline  is  not  based 
on  ethics,  although  it  is  obviously  unfair  for  an  advertiser 
to  appropriate  to  his  own  uses  a  headline  formulated  and  suc- 
cessfully used  by  somebody  else.  Original  headlines  are  neces- 
sary because  most  headlines  that  have  been  used  to  any  extent 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  DISPLAY  285 

have  lost  their  power  to  attract  attention.  Such  headlines  as 
^'  Do  you  know/"  "Are  you  interested?  "  and  the  Hke  are 
obviously  worn  out.  "  Safety  First "  has  recently  been  used 
too  extensively ;  likewise  "  A  Christmas  gift  the  ichole  family 
will  appreciate."  The  headline  "  Akvays  Young  "  was  used 
for  two  advertisements  in  a  single  issue  of  the  same  publica- 
tion. Many  other  instances  could  be  cited  of  headlines  that 
lack  originality  and  therefore  attractive  power. 

Headlines  —  Interesting  Nature 

As  has  been  indicated  already,  there  are  several  possible 
sources  of  interest  in  the  advertisement.  So  far  as  the  head- 
line is  concerned,  the  three  possible  types  of  interest  are:  sub- 
ject interest,  advertiser  interest,  and  reader  interest.  The 
latter  is  normally  of  greatest  value.  A  headline  wnth  the  word 
you  in  it,  especially  if  it  contains  an  appeal  to  some  funda- 
mental human  emotion,  such  as  ambition,  curiosity,  or  desire 
to  save,  is  likely  to  appeal.     The  following  will  illustrate : 

"Are  your  hands  tied?"  "Will  yon  drive  six  screws  to 
save  $Ti.2j?"  "Build  your  own  house  in  two  hours." 

Ob\iously  the  word  "  you  "  cannot  be  used  in  all  headlines. 
The  re([uirement  of  originality  sometimes  suggests  some  other 
form  as  preferable.  Hozv  and  Why  titles  have  a  strong  factor 
of  human  interest,  as  for  example : 

How  a  zuorld-zi'ide  business 
gretv  from  this  old  kettle. 

Such  forms  have  the  added  advantage  that  they  appear  to  be 
the  beginning  of  an  answer  to  an  implied  question;  therefore 
the  reader  will  go  on  without  appreciable  pause. 

It  is  frequently  desirable  to  have  some  word  in  the  head- 
line that  W'ill  automatically  select  the  right  class  of  readers. 
The  word  pipe,  for  example,  would  attract  smokers,  as  in  the 


286 


ADVERTISING  COPY 


Is  Your  Wife 

Helpless 
or  Dangerous— 

in  these  times  when  more  idlers 
make  more  burglars  and  brutes  ? 


JO 
Shots 

THESE  times  make  more  idlers.     More  idlers  mean  more  Burglars     \Q"-'^A> 
and  Brutes.    Burglars  and  Brutes  break  your  house ;  shock  your 
wife  into  permanent  hysteria  and  mark  your  children  with  a  horrible  fear  for  life. 
A  ten  shot,  easy-to-aim  Savage  Automatic  converts  your  helpless  wife  into  a  dangerous 
defender  of  her  children — more  dangerous  to  face  than  a  mother  grizzly  bear. 

Fathers,  it  is  a  serious  duty  in  these  times  to  arm  your  home  by  day  and  by  night 
with  a  Savage  Automatic^ — -the  one  arm  which  every  Brute  and  Burglar  fears.  They 
fear  its  10  lightning  shots,  2  to  4  more  than  others;  they  fear  the  novicc*s  power  to 
aim  if  as  easy  as  pointing  your  finger.  Therefore  take  pains  that  you  get  the  Savage — 
the  one  the  thugs  fear. 

As  harmless  as  a  cat  around  the  house,  because  it  is  the  only  automatic  that  tells  by 
glance  or  touch  whether  loaded  or  empty. 

Take  home  a  Savage  to  Jay.  Or  at  least  send  for  free  booklet,  **If  You  Hear  a 
Burelar,**  written  by  a  famous  detective. 

A  Brand  New  Savage  Rifle 

This  .12  Tububr  Repeater  has  all  the  original  Savage  features — hammerlcss  trom- 
bone action,  solid  breech,  solid  top,  side  ejection,  etc.     Price  ;$l2.oo.     Send  for  circular. 

SAVAGE    ARMS    CO.,    75   SAVAGE   AVENUE,    UTICA,    NEW  YORK 

THE  @  SAVAG£  AUTOMATIC 

Negative  headline  of  donljtful  value 

headline,  ""  A  hot  letter  from  a  pipe  smoker/'  "  The  man  with 
fifteen  pipes  ami  7chat  he  said;"  or  "  The  smuggled  Cala- 
bash." "Ram  your  college  expenses"  would  automatically 
pick  out  students. 

There  is  one  special  phase  of  self  interest  which  might  per- 
haps be  mentioned  in  this  connection.     Aside  from  the  funda- 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  DISPLAY  287 

mental  emotions  and  instincts  of  human  nature  there  are  fre- 
quently temporary  interests  induced  by  current  events,  by 
the  approach  of  holidays,  or  by  some  other  outside  stimulus. 
This  temporary  interest  is  frequently  made  use  of  to  good 
effect:  "  The  War  — How  Will  It  Affect  You?  "  "  War  — 
in  the  Encychopcedia  Britannica,"  and  the  like,  are  headlines 
that  make  use  of  this  temporary  interest  of  the  reader. 

There  is  one  further  requirement  of  headlines  that  applies 
to  publicity  advertising  and  to  some  extent  to  inquiry-getting 
advertising.  A  headline  should  ordinarily  be  positive.  If  the 
headline  "  Decayed  Teeth  "  were  seen  in  connection  with  the 
name  of  a  dentifrice  the  association  of  ideas  would  be  unpleas- 
ant unless  the  whole  of  the  copy  were  read.  Of  course,  the 
whole  copy  is  read  only  in  a  small  percentage  of  cases.  For 
this  reason  we  should  avoid  such  headlines  as  "  Is  your  re- 
frigerator poisoning  your  family  f  "  or  "  A  man  would  die  in 
the  first  alcove  "  unless  the  advertising  exists  almost  entirely 
for  purposes  of  inquiry-getting.  Even  in  cases  of  this  kind 
they  are  dangerous  on  account  of  the  unpleasant,  negative 
suggestions  they  contain. 

Tying  Up  Display  Lines  to  Text 

Headlines  and  other  display  lines  should  be  regarded  as 
integral  parts  of  the  copy  and  as  such  should  be  tested  accord- 
ing to  the  principle  of  coherence.  The  headline  should  be 
closely  connected  in  idea  and  tone  with  the  copy  that  follows ; 
otherwise  the  interest  it  secures  is  not  transferred  to  the  smaller 
type  of  the  text  matter. 

The  text  that  follows  the  headline  should  either  explain 
it,  or  relate  to  it  in  such  a  way  that  the  reader's  attention  is 
led  from  the  one  to  the  other  without  strain.  If  he  is  at- 
tracted by  the  headline  but  finds  that  the  first  paragraph  of  the 
text  is  not  closely  related  to  it,  he  is  not  likely  to  read  far. 
For  example,  in  the  headline,   "  Balanced  Heating  Guaran- 


inui 


Our  Evening  Dress  Clothes  —  Men's 
and  Young  Men's — are  the  very  finest 
that  our  Sixty  Years  of  Knowing  How 
can  produce. 

Sfein-'Bloch 
Smart  Clolhes 

are  sometimes  called  dear — but — when 
rightly  estimated — they  really  are  the 
cheapest. 

The  Stein-BlochCo. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 


.iV*f<f.;*<4'S<t*^i. 


There  is  no  connection  between  illustration  and  headline.     The  advertise- 
ment attempts  to  do  too  many  things  at  once 
288 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  DISPLAY  289 

teed,"  the  stress  is  laid  upon  the  word  "  guaranteed."  The 
text  that  follows  should,  therefore,  explain  not  only  what 
"  balanced  heating  "  means,  but  also  how  this  furnace  "  guar- 
antees "  it.  Again,  in  the  headline,  "  This  Roofing  Never 
Costs  a  Cent  for  Maintenance,"  we  have  a  direct,  positive 
statement.  If  the  first  paragraph  of  the  text  begins  nega- 
tively, "  It's  false  economy  to  put  your  money  in  a  cheap 
roofing,"  something  of  the  attention-value  of  the  headline  is 
lost.  The  headline  and  the  beginning  of  the  text  should  have 
the  same  point  of  view.  The  name  of  the  article,  or  other 
display  line,  should  not  be  inserted  at  the  optical  center  unless 
it  can  logically  be  connected  with  the  ideas  in  the  text  that 
precede  and  follow. 

Tying  Up  Text  with  Illustrations 

Much  the  same  principles  apply  to  the  connection  of  the 
text  with  illustrations.  There  should  be  no  doubt  in  the  read- 
er's mind  as  to  the  aptness  of  the  illustration  when  he  reads 
the  text.  Yet  oftentimes  we  find  in  advertisements  text  that 
has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the  illustration  that  drew 
our  attention.  It  indicates  lack  of  team  work  between  the 
artist  and  the  copy-writer,  which  could  have  been  obviated 
had  the  man  who  wrote  the  copy  made  himself  responsible 
for  the  layout  and  illustration  as  well. 

The  harmony  between  illustration  and  text  should  not  be 
merely  in  the  matter  of  the  direct  connection  of  ideas.  It 
should  be  in  their  tone  or  style  as  well.  No  argument  is  neces- 
sary to  show  that  a  fine  line  drawing  does  not  belong  with  the 
rough,  colloquial,  slangy  text  of  Prince  Albert  tobacco,  or  that 
heavy  crayon  or  charcoal  drawings  do  not  belong  with  the 
dainty  descriptions  of  silverware.  Vigorous,  argumentative 
copy  should  not  be  set  in  dainty  or  frivolous  type.  On  the 
other  hand,  copy  with  an  appeal  to  the  senses  or  sentiment 
should  be  displayed  with  some  dignity  and  refinement.     Chel- 


The  Charm  ^Health 

RADIANT  is  ihc  woman  in  wliose  body  and  iicart  and 
soul  (here  is  health;  piiiable  she  whose  body  is  sick. 
L  Health  means  happiness,  and  happiness  charms  even 
the  birds  of  the  air.  For  a  quaner  of  a  century 

has  spelt  Health  and  Happiness  to  many  thousands  </ 
women  who  were  sick  and  unhappy  Tlie  rich.wholcsoirn; 
malt  and  tonic  hops  are  Natures  own  restorative  in  the 
most  concentrated  and  effective  form.  It  builds  the  body  ii no 
strength,  beauty  and  usefulness. 

Your  grocer  ,ind  druggist  have  it 


Mall  Nutrioo.whm  (nurd  ^ 

Jrlnk.  Mall  Nulri™  d.vbr<-d  byUS.no.-ci 
rK^  an  4Uoiic4ic  bcvrragf .  Conl.ijiti  \^\  p<( 


lit  uIkJ. 
ANHEUSta-DUSCH  •  ST.  LOUIS,  U.S.  A 

Bccklciil  (beautifully  illuitratcd)  sent  free  on  requcil." 


XI  palatable  uvl  healiliU 
1  pun'  malt  product, 
qo  [>cr  cent  alfohol. 


The  chief  elements  displayed  are  totally  unrelated 


290 


COPY  AS  AFFECTED  BY  DISPLAY  291 

tenham  bold  type  and  heavy  rule  borders  would  be  hardly 
appropriate. 

When  the  reader  sees  a  frivolous  picture  of  a  ballroom  scene 
it  is  somewhat  of  a  shock  to  him  to  see  directly  below  it 
"  Sixty  Years  of  Knozuing  Hon',"  and  it  is  a  strain  upon  his 
attention  to  adjust  to  the  new  point  of  view  that  such  a  head- 
line implies.  When  he  sees  the  negative  illustration  of  a 
gray-haired  old  invalid  it  is  hard  for  him  to  grasp  the  posi- 
tive appeal  in  the  headline  "  The  Charm  of  Health  "  and  per- 
haps equally  difficult  to  see  the  relation  of  the  stork  picture 
to  either  of  these  elements.  It  is  unsafe  to  assume  that  he 
will  recognize  the  stork  picture  as  a  trade-mark.  Again,  when 
he  sees  a  somewhat  sentimental  illustration  of  an  old  gentle- 
man apparently  talking  to  a  little  girl  he  naturally  expects  that 
the  words  below  will  be  in  the  form  of  direct  conversation  or 
at  least  will  have  the  same  human  interest  element  that  at- 
tracted him  to  the  picture. 

If  text  and  illustrations  have  unity  of  idea  and  of  tone, 
usually  no  other  connection  between  them  is  necessary.  In 
some  cases,  however,  notably  in  advertisements  of  mechanical 
or  technical  products,  it  is  desirable  to  direct  special  attention 
to  some  one  or  two  features  in  the  illustration.  This  can  be 
done  in  a  number  of  different  ways,  most  conveniently  per- 
haps by  loops  and  arrows  pointing  to  the  features  in  the 
illustration  which  it  is  desired  to  emphasize. 

Expansion  and  Condensation  of  Text 

Sometimes  the  form  of  the  illustration  and  the  general  lay- 
out of  the  advertisement  cuts  the  space  allowed  for  the  text 
matter  into  small,  odd-shaped  pieces.  This  is,  as  a  rule,  to 
be  avoided,  because  it  always  sacrifices  the  appearance.  But 
sometimes  it  is  necessary.  If  such  is  the  case,  the  copy  should 
be  so  written  that  the  various  units  will  fit  exactly  into  their 
places.     In  other  words,  the  text  must  be  written  to  fit  given 


tSSilNsffciiodl 


I eXTRA 


The  Continental  Motor  Manufacturing 
Company  is  the  world's  greatest  buyer 
of  high  grade  motor  material;  is  backed 
^       "^  f  i     by  a  decade  of  success;  possesses  the 

'^^'^Ht     finest    equipment    for   accurate   and    cost-saving 
work;    has  the  men  who  know  how. 

ranfinental  Mafars 

Solely  by  the  combination  of  all  these  can  be  made  possible  such  extra 
value  as  distinguishes  every  Continental  Motor. 

And  only  as  the  months  and  seasons  go  by,  is  the  full  worth  of  the  extra 
materials,  tests,  and  scrupulous  inspections  of  a  Continental  made  appar- 
ent. On  the  day  of  resale— then  is  the  last  extra  value  of  a  Continental 
repealed.     For  a  car  is  as  young,  or  as  old,  as  its  motor. 

Over  one  hundred  firms  are  now  building  into  their  product  the 
"extra  value"  of  Continental  Motors.  Tens  of  thousands  of  users 
are  benefiting  thereby.  Choose  what  type  you  will,  but  insist  on 
the  Continental-powered  truck  or  pleasure  car. 

CONTINENTAL   MOTOR   MFG.   CO. 

Detroit.   Michigan 

Factories -Detroit  and  Muslcegon 


Extra  Experience 
*Extra  Value 
Extra  Security 


There  is  no  apparent  connection  between  headline  and  le.\.t 


2g2 


Yes— tKe  Apolladoes  cost  us  both  a  little  more — 


But  tKe  pleasure  o£  listening  to  its  almost  fault- 
less reproduction  of  a  musician's  playing  more 
tKan  justifies  tKe  sli^Kt  additional  initial  cost. 

TKe  musical  and  mecKanical  perfection  of  tKe 
Apollo  Kas  ^iven  it  a  standing  second  to  none 
in  tKe  world. 

A  letter  from  you  will  brin^  proof  from  us  that  you'll 
never  beferud^e  the  little  increase  in  price  of  the  Apollo 
over  the  average  player  piano.  Full  details  of  the  six 
exclusive  patented  features  oftheApoUo  will  be  included. 

MELVILLE  CLARK  PIANO  COMPANY 

EXECUTIVE  OFHCES  —  411  FINE  ARTS  BUILDING,  CHICAGO 
NEW  YORK   SHOW    ROOMS  — 113    WEST  40th  STREET 


Illustration  and  copy  are  not  connected  in  idea  or  tone 


293 


294  ADVERTISING  COPY 

spaces.  To  do  this  each  space  in  the  layout  should  be  ac- 
curately measured  by  means  of  a  ruler  and  the  number  of 
words  of  a  given  size  type  that  will  fit  into  the  space  should 
then  be  estimated. 

This  is  only  one  of  the  cases  in  which  expansion  and  con- 
densation of  copy  are  made  necessary.  Expansion  is  a 
comparatively  easy  matter,  for  it  usually  involves  only  the 
insertion  of  additional  evidence  or  descriptive  details.  Con- 
densation is  more  difficult.  The  formula  for  condensation 
is,  briefly,  as  follows : 

1.  Omit  all  the  clever  statements  —  those  which  strain  for 

effect. 

2.  Omit  all  circumlocutions. 

3.  Omit  adjectives  and  adverbs  that  are  trite  or  general. 

4.  Omit  all  the  statements  which  do  not  relate  directly  to 

the  important  one. 

5.  Omit  any  examples  or  illustrative  statements  that  can 

be  spared. 

It  may  be  said,  in  passing,  that  publicity  copy  may  nearly 
always  be  improved  by  condensation.  Copy  that  is  intended 
to  produce  orders  or  inquiries  should  contain  all  the  material 
possible  within  reasonable  limits.  In  all  cases  there  should  be 
no  multiplication  of  words,  though  there  may  be  multiplica- 
tion of  ideas. 

The  general  principles  for  relating  text  to  display  which 
have  been  given  in  this  chapter  are  affected,  of  course,  to  some 
extent  by  the  nature  of  the  audience  and  the  medium  used, 
as  discussed  in  previous  chapters.  The  writer,  however,  who 
uses  them  as  a  basis  will  find  it  easy  to  adapt  them  to  suit  spe- 
cial conditions. 


PART  IV 
ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  FUNCTIONS  AND  ELEMENTS  OF  DISPLAY 

What  Is  Display? 

The  term  "  advertising  display  "  recjuires  first  of  all  a 
knowledge  of  the  meaning  and  scope  of  some  terms  usually 
misapplied  when  treating  of  this  subject.  The  layout  of  this 
display  has  been  entrusted  mainly  in  the  past  to  the  so-called 
commercial  artist,  or,  worse  still,  to  one  with  a  less  clearly 
defined  understanding  of  w^hat  the  following  terms  mean. 

Some  Misconceptions  of  Art 

The  term  "  art  "  is  perhaps  the  vaguest  of  all  these  terms; 
so  let  us  attempt  a  description  of  this  first.  One  of  the  best 
ways  to  see  what  a  thing  is,  is  by  the  process  of  elimination ; 
hence,  let  us  see  what  are  some  things  art  is  not.  The  term 
"  antique  "  has  become  almost  synonymous  with  the  term 
"  art  "  in  the  public  mind.  We  need  to  know  that  the  art 
quality  may  be  present  in  an  antique  as  well  and  no  better  than 
in  a  modern  thing.  If  a  thing  is  good  which  is  old  it  is  so  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  it  is  old  and  not  because  of  it,  for  age 
is  not  the  requisite  for  art  quality. 

The  term  "  prettiness  "  has  stood  for  beauty  and,  therefore, 
for  art  until  the  public  consciousness  scarcely  realizes  that  art 
and  beauty  are  permanent  truths,  while  prettiness  is  a  quality 
pleasing  the  eye  for  the  instant  without  any  appeal  to  human 
intelligence.     Art  is  not  prettiness. 

Pictures  of  all  sorts  and  kinds  have  seemed  to  be  essential 
to  the  idea  of  decoration  in  the  minds  of  many.  Their  use  in 
the  most  detailed  naturalistic  form  has  not  only  crept  into  the 

297 


SEASON'S  AKT 

LECTURE    COURSES 

NEW  YORK  SCHOOL  OF 
FINE  AND  APPLIED  APvT 

FRANK  ALVAH  PARSONS  WM.  M.  ODOM 


Booklet   cover  with   display  well   placed   and   well   distributed   in   three 

masses 


FUNCTIONS  AND  ELEMENTS  OF  DISPLAY 


299 


matter  of  decorating  china,  wall  papers,  rugs,  and  other  use- 
ful articles,  but  has  become  seemingly  a  necessary  adjunct  in 
advertising  display,  although 
the  result  is  ugly,  mislead- 
ing, and  perhaps  totally  ir- 
relevant to  the  idea.  Deco- 
ration or  decorative  art  is 
based  on  law.  A  knowledge 
of  this  law  changes  one's 
attitude   to  art   in  advertis- 


THEORY  AND 
PRACTICE   OF 

FURNISHING  AND 
DECORATING 


mg. 

Finally,  it  is  an  error  to 
suppose  that  all  persons  who 
possess  technical  skill  in 
drawing  either  the  human 
figure  or  other  objects  can 
be  classed  as  artists  or  are 
fit  to  choose  or  advise  in 
matters  of  advertising  dis- 
play. 

When  any  new  useful  ob- 
ject has  appeared  in  the  his- 
tory of  any  race  it  has  done 
so  because  there  was  a  de- 
cided need  or  call  for  it,  or 
because  of  the  lives  and  ac- 
tivities of  the  people  who 
developed  it.  Cathedrals 
rose  in  response  to  the  al- 
most fanatical  demand  for 
a  place  sufficiently  large  for 
the  town  or  city  to  assemble 

en  masse  for  discussion,  rest,  religious  expression,  and  social 
intercourse.     The   cathedral    came,    secondly,    as   a   mass   of 


Booklet  cover  with  border  enclosure 
of  good  width,  type  matter  well  placed 
in  one  mass 


30O 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


symbolic  expression,  every  part  of  which  definitely  and  clearly 
embodied  in  tangible  form  the  religious  ideal  of  the  time  in 
which  it  was  developed.  Secular  buildings  and  furnishings 
have  exactly  the  same  history.  When  man  was  ready  for 
^.^  chairs,  chairs  came.     When 

L^IVERSITY     CXUB       he  reciuired  elaborate  beds 

and  more  luxurious  sur- 
roundings, these  sprang  up 
out  of  the  instinctive  desire 
for  something  to  fill  this 
need  and  the  ability  to  cre- 
ate it.  Pictures  developed 
in  response  to  the  necessity 
for  a  method  of  conveying 
religious  facts  and  cere- 
monies, when  written  lan- 
guage was  less  developed. 
These  were  out  of  both  the 
soul  and  the  intelligence  of 
those  who  produced  them, 
is     a     new 


MONDAY,  NOVEMBER  2,  FROM  8KM  TO  10 

OPENING  RECEPTION  TO  MEMBERS  AT  THE 
CLUB  HOUSE.  JI^THE  TIME  OF  THE  SIGMA 
XI   LECTURE  HAS  BEEN  CHANGED  TO  7:45. 

TUESDAY.  NOV.  3.  THE  ELECTION  RETURNS 

WILL  BE  RECEIVED  AT  THE  CLUB  HOUSE 

TUESDAY,  NOVEMBER  3.  AND  THEREAFTER 

THE  DmiNG  ROOM  WILL  BE  OPEN  AT 
ELEVEN  IN  THE  MORNING  AND  LIGHT  RE 
FRESHMENTS  WILL  pE  SERVED  ON  ORDER 
THROUGH  THE  AFTERNOON  AND  EVENING. 

MONDAY.  NOVEMBER  9.  AND  THEREAFTER 

THE  DINING  ROOM  WILL  BE  OPEN  FROM 
ELEVEN  IN  THE  MORNING  TO  SEVEN  IN 
THE  EVENING.  A*  SPECIAL  LUNCHEONS 
AND  DINNERS  WILL  BE  SERVED  IF  ORDER 
ED  SEVERAL  HOURS  IN  ADVANCE.  J^  IF 
THE  DEMAND  WARRANTS  IT  A  SPECIAL 
LUNCHEON  WILL  BE  SERVED  REGULARLY 

THURSDAY.  NOVEMBER  12.  BARNES  HALL 

PIANO  RECITAL  BY  MRS.  DRESBACH  FOR 
THE  BENEFIT  OF  THE  CLUB.  A*  AN  INFOR 
MAL  RECEPTION  AT  THE  CLUB  HOUSE 
WILL  FOLLOW.  J^  ALL  ATTENDING  THE 
RECITAL  ARE  INVITED  TO  THE  RECEPTION. 


Announcement  card  in  single  mas.s 
with  perfect  structure,  pleasing  mar- 
gins and  concentrated  attention  value 


Advertising 
science  and  a  new  art.  It 
is  a  necessity  because  of 
modern  conditions.  Its 
breadth,  growth,  and  de- 
velopment   are    along    ex- 


actly the  same  lines  scientifically  as  other  forms  of  art  ex- 
pression, and  its  art  quality  is  dependent  upon  exactly  the  same 
relationships  as  those  of  any  other  objects  made  out  of  ma- 
terials, no  matter  in  what  age  thev  were  created. 


What  Art  Really  Is 

Art  is  a  quality  —  it  does  not  depend  on  materials,  or  the 
person  concerned,  or  the  date,  or  pretty  looks,  or  any  other  tra- 


FUNCTIONS  AND  ELEMENTS  OF  DISPLAY  301 


CONTROL  of  all  the  processes 
in  the  manufacture  of  an 
article, from  the  raw  material  to  the 
finished  product, assures  uniformity 
of  excellence  and  reasonableness  of 
price  obtainable  in  no  other  way. 

Each  process  In  the  manufacture  of  Jones  & 
Laughlin  Steel  Company  products,  from 
the  mining  of  the  ore  to  the  finishing  of  the 
article,  is  conducted  in  works  owned  and 
controlled  by  themselves. 


Works — Eliza  furnaces  and  coke  ovens  South 
S'de  works.  Soho  furnace  and  works,  Keystone_ 
works,  Aliquippa  works  Products — Bessemer 
and  open  liearth  steel,  structural  material,  agri- 
cultural shapes,  patent  interlocking  steel  sheet 
piling,  cold  twisted  steel  concrete  bars,  steel 
chains,  light  rails,  mine  ties,  spikes,  wire  nails, 
cold  rolled  shafting,  axles,  forging,  tinplates.  wire 
rods,  barbed  wire,  power  transmission  machinery. 


Jones  &  Laughlin  Steel  Company 

The  American   Iron  and   Steel   Works,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 


Single    page    from    trade    journal,    showing   interesting   variation,    perfect 
structure  and  well  distributed  attention  values.     A   restful  arrangement 

dition.  This  quality  has  two  distinct  elements,  each  of  which 
must  be  seen  by  itself  clearly.  Every  applied  art  must  in  the 
final  estimate  be  judged  by  these. 


302 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


The  first  element  of  the  cathedral,  the  chair,  even  the  paint- 
ing, is  that  of  fitness  to  use,  or  function,  as  we  shall  call  it. 

When  a  chair  meets  all  the 
requirements  of  a  thing  to 
sit  upon  in  the  circum- 
stances for  which  it  is 
made,  it  expresses  the  first 
element  of  its  artistic  ne- 
cessity. When  an  adver- 
tisement expresses  perfect 
fitness  between  its  idea  and 
the  commodity,  and  then 
between  the  selection  and 
arrangement  of  all  the  ma- 
terials used  in  the  advertis- 
ing display,  the  advertise- 
ment has  the  first  element 
of  art  present  in  it.  If  this 
is  not  true;  if,  further,  the 
advertisement  is  inefficient 
in  its  power  to  sell,  it  loses 
a  portion  of  one  of  the  two 
elements  to  be  reckoned 
with  in  the  art  concept. 

On  the  other  hand,  in- 
herent in  the  nature  of  man 
is  the  desire  for  beauty. 
He  wants  it  because  he's 
made  that  way.  And  when  he  doesn't  produce  it  and  use  it. 
it  is  only  because  he  has  a  mistaken  viewpoint  as  to  wha': 
beauty  is  and  as  to  how  to  express  in  his  materials  the  beauty 
idea.  This  makes  even  beauty  somewhat  a  matter  of  science, 
because  the  laws  of  choice  and  arrangement  in  any  materials 
in  which  beauty  is  expressed  may  be  fairly  clearly  stated  and 


M<zry\f  Shoe  Shop* 

4  West  38th  St.— store  Floor 
Separate  Starr,  A  Strp  trirn  F'fth  Avrnue 

Important  Sale  (Today')  Friday 

Men's  Shoes 

Uahogang.  Tan  or  Black  Ruula  Colt  Shoe*.  uHh  Tan 

or  Crat  Cloth  or  Leather  Top*;  al*o  faten:  Colt, 

litth  Black   Cloth  or  Leather   Top*, 

3.75 

Regular  Price  tSJM 

Men's  Baqister  Shoes 

All  Stylet  and  Leathers, 

6.50 

Vtuttl  fTJO  Value 

Men's  Thomas  Cort  Shoes 

BENCH-MADE.  HAND-SEVED 
All  Stylet  and  Leathert, 

8.50 

Vtual  tlt-OO  Value 

jfranklfn  Simon  Si  Co, 

Fifth  Avenue.  37th  and  38th  Sts. 


Newspaper  advertisement  monot- 
onous in  arrangement,  wasteful  in 
blank  space  arrangement,  unorgan- 
ized in  form,  unpleasant  in  use  of 
many  types 


FUNCTIONS  AND  ELEMENTS  OF  DISPLAY 


303 


if  followed  will  result  at 
least  in  the  training  to  ap- 
preciate the  general  com- 
binations which  result  in 
beautiful  creation. 

Beauty  then  is  not  a 
matter  of  pure  feeling,  but 
a  matter  of  feeling,  or 
emotions,  plus  intelligence, 
or  intellect.  Persons  who 
recognize  that  both  of  these 
powers  are  active  in  beauty 
development  will  be  able  to 
create  in  the  advertising 
field  results  that  are  beau- 
tiful as  well  as  suited  to 
the  purpose.  Beauty,  in- 
deed, becomes  a  distinct 
selling    feature,    since    the 


Two  Articlei  That 

Every  One  Should  Read 

I. 

THEODORE  ROOSEVELT 

"The  International  Posse  Comitatus" 

II. 

Prof.  ALBERT  BUSHNELL  HART 

of  HkrYard  (JruTerftity 

"Turkey  an"d  the  War" 
NEXT  SUNDAY'S  TIMES 

Order  next  Sun<Uy'«  Times  today  of  your  newt- 
dealer.      The  Time*  it  alwayt  told  oot  early. 


Geo. C.Flint  Co. 
R..J.H0R.NE.R.  Co. 

SUBSTANTIAL  REDUCTIONS 

lOX   TO  50^ 
Wll  be  offered  during  the  month  of  August  at 
the  combined  two' stocks  of 
FURNITURE 

DECORATIONS 

RUGS 
make  it  imperative  that  they  be  greatly  re- 
duced to  make  room  for  our  New  Fall  Styles 
arriving  daily. 

Flint  S  Horner  G).  inc. 

20-26West36tIi.St 
Ne\v\brk 


Advertisement  showing  exceedingly 
bad  distribution  of  copy  as  related  to 
blank  space.  Lack  of  organization 
destroys  interest  and  convincing 
power 


Uninteresting,   unorganized   and  badly 
placed  copy,  lacks  interest 


desire  or  appetite  for  it  is 
as  clearly  defined  in  the 
individual  as  the  desire  for 
companionship  or  the  ap- 
petite for  food  or  drink. 
It  is  a  well-known  fact 
that  a  man  is  more  ap- 
proachable in  a  business 
proposition  after  a  good 
meal  than  before  it.  He 
is  also  more  approachable 
when  commodities  are  put 
before  him  in  a  beautiful 
form  than  when  ugliness, 
unattractiveness    or    disor- 


304  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

ganization  of  material  is  the  component  accompaniment  of  the 
article. 

Men  convey  their  ideas  one  to  another  through  some  form 
of  language  —  sometimes  by  words,  sometimes  by  actions,  at 
other  times  by  pictures.  In  these  various  ways  ideas  are  ex- 
pressed which  have  somewhat  the  same  meaning  to  all  persons 
who  understand  these  symbols  and  their  relationships. 

The  Elements  of  Advertising  Display 

Advertising  display  is  a  language  through  w^hich  and  by 
which  the  maker  or  seller  of  any  commodity  presents  its  qual- 
ities in  a  convincing  way  to  the  prospective  buyer  or  consumer. 
So  far  as  printed  advertising  is  concerned  at  least,  and  in 
window  dressing  and  many  allied  forms  of  display,  the  same 
laws  of  choice  and  arrangement  of  material  obtain,  modified 
only  in  part  by  local  or  special  conditions.  Since  advertis- 
ing display  is  a  language,  it  has  both  a  scientific  and  an  artistic 
side,  each  of  which  must  be  somewhat  understood  to  make 
the  language  effective. 

It  is  a  common  error  to  suppose  that  "  copy  "  is  the  only 
form  of  language  in  display  and  that  all  other  material  used 
in  the  make-up  of  car  cards,  posters,  newspaper  and  magazine 
ads,  etc.,  is  merely  a  matter  of  whim  and  personal  desire. 
Copy  is  only  the  first  element  of  the  language  of  display.  It 
has  been  shown  in  Part  III  that  copy  has  distinctly  in  mind 
a  sequence  of  ideas  which  it  is  presenting  to  the  public  for 
consideration,  arranged  in  such  a  way  that  certain  definite 
(juality  conditions  will  be  created  and  certain  definite  results 
expected.  But  this  is  just  as  true  of  the  other  elements  of 
the  advertising  display  language. 

^rhere  are  five  distinct  elements  to  be  considered  besides 
copy  and  each  of  these  has  its  own  clearly  defined  scope  and 
meaning,  conveying  some  ideas  even  clearer  than  words  can 
do.     It  is  a  .sad  thing  when  an  illustration  creates  one  impres- 


FUNCTIONS  AND  ELEMENTS  OF  DISPLAY 


305 


sion  and  sets  in  motion  one  set  of  associated  ideas  in  the  read- 
er's mind,  while  the  copy  in  its  choice,  arrangement,  and  se- 
quence declares  at  the  same  time  an  entirely  different  condi- 
tion and  set  of  ideas.  The  situation  becomes  even  more  con- 
fusing if  the  other  elements  in  the  display  each  asserts  itself 
in  its  own  particular  way  in  irrelevant  lines  to  either  of  the 
aforementioned  elements  of  the  language. 


THE  MITCHELL  VANCE  COMPANY 
8j6  AND  8j8  Bkoaowat  —  at  THmTEiNTH  Strut 

Sale  Annoxmccment 
RARE  BARGAINS  IN  ELECTRIC  FIXTURES 

Ifl  order  to  reduce  iiB  large  tro<k  of  Electric 
Chudelien.  Brackett,  Table  Lamps.  &c  U  ill 
ofier  peu  tnducementf  to  buyen.  in  many  case* 
at  less  than  half  the  regular  pnc« 


op|>onunlt>  I 


Enjl.rd.F,, 
dntgn  in  111  ptnodt  losti 
mpl«.oF  AmrncanhindicraH     An 


■nd  Inly 


Suitable  for  Wedding  Presents  and  Holiday  Gifts 


I.  Color 

The  first  and  probably  the  most  abused  of  all  elements  is 
that  of  color.  It  should  be  clearly  recognized  at  the  outset 
that  every  tone  of  color  is 
scientifically  and  artistically 
capable  of  expressing  and 
does  express  its  own  definite 
idea.  For  example,  if  on  a 
very  cold  night  one  finds 
his  room  unendurably  chilly 
and  sees  before  him  two 
robes,  each  of  heavy  wool 
and  equal  in  weight,  one  of 
them  a  light,  clear  blue,  the 
other  a  deep,  rich  red,  which  will  he  instinctively  use  to  create 
the  feeling  of  warmth?  Surely  not  the  blue  one.  If  instinc- 
tively red  is  chosen  to  create  the  atmosphere  or  condition  of 
warmth  of  spirit  or  exaggerated  action,  it  is  worth  using  in 
exploiting  those  ideas  in  advertising.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
one  finds  that  the  color  blue  increases  the  initial  coolness,  puts 
a  damper  on  action,  lulls  and  soothes  the  excited  nerves,  in  ad- 
vertising we  can  well  afford  to  take  cognizance  of  this  fact  and 
use  blue  to  express  these  ideas  of  coolness,  restraint,  restful- 
:iess,  etc.  This  not  only  strengthens  the  copy  which  uses  these 
ideas  by  repeating  the  impression,  but  also  sometimes  reduces 
essentially  the  amount  of  copy  required  to  carry  an  idea. 


Good  distribution  of  blank  space  for 
attention  value 


306  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

2.  Illustration 

A  second  and  very  important  element  of  advertising  dis- 
play is  that  known  as  illustration,  or  picture.  This  term,  also, 
must  have  special  consideration.  It  is  of  broad  scope.  It 
may  include  anything  from  a  photograph  or  a  carefully  worked 
out,  naturalistic,  detailed  delineation  of  any  object,  to  a  line 
sketch  or  decorative  arrangement  of  any  idea  which  is  to  be 
submitted  through  display.  The  picture  language  is  a  gen- 
eral one,  more  general  than  any  word  language  on  earth. 
Even  we  Americans  understand  somewhat  the  meaning  of  the 
picture  language  of  primitive  races  and  certain  highly  civil- 
ized ones  like  the  Japanese  or  Chinese.  We,  more  than  any 
other  people,  however,  seem  to  require  a  strictly  naturalistic, 
detailed,  non-suggestive,  pretty,  finished  and  even  overdone 
representation  of  things  to  get  any  satisfactory  idea  from 
the  illustrative  or  picture  element. 

The  use  and  abuse  of  illustration  is  a  matter  for  further 
consideration.  May  it  not  be  clearly  seen  even  at  this  point, 
however,  that  if  we  are  advertising  in  copy  one,  two,  or  three 
definite  ideas  which  we  wish  to  have  grasped  in  their  rela- 
tive order,  or  if  we  are  trying  to  create  the  idea  of  the  qual- 
ity of  refinement  or  fineness,  it  is  absolutely  absurd  to  intro- 
duce a  picture  of  some  body  or  some  thing  which  expresses 
none  of  these  ideas  or  has  none  of  these  qualities?  If  we  say 
—  in  our  words  —  that  a  thing  is  refined,  our  color  and  our 
illustration  must  repeat  that  idea.  If  we  are  advertising 
hosiery,  the  naturalistic  bust  picture  of  a  grinning  woman  is 
not  exactly  relevant  to  the  idea.  Not  only  is  such  an  illus- 
tration absurd  as  having  no  relation  whatever  to  the  subject, 
but  it  is  absurd  to  believe  that  any  persons  can  think  of  two 
things  at  once,  or  that  such  a  thing  will  not  materially  detract 
from  the  power  of  the  individual  ever  to  concentrate  upon 
hosiery  or  its  qualities.  By  the  illustration  a  new  set  of  asso- 
ciated ideas  is  set  in  motion  in  consciousness  and  the  essential 


FUNCTIONS  AND  ELEMENTS  OF  DISPLAY  307 

idea  of  the  copy  stands  little  chance  of  again  occupying  the 
focal  set. 

3.  Ornament 

The  third  important  element  in  art  language  is  that  known 
as  ornament  or  decoration.  Just  an  allusion  to  this  is  neces- 
sary to  see  how  important  it  is  that  a  thorough  study  of  the 
source  of  this  ornament  be  made  and  that  one  attempt  at  least 
to  know  the  significance  of  the  most  ordinary  fixed  orna- 
mental ideas  which  are  recognized  in  every  field  of  civilized 
output  except  that  of  the  printer  and  the  advertising  man. 

In  the  first  place,  there  is  a  difference  between  decoration 
and  ornamentation.  Decoration  exists  never  for  itself,  but 
always  for  the  thing  before  which  it  goes.  When  it  becomes 
aggressive,  impertinent,  or  ostentatious,  and  shows  off  before 
the  main  idea,  it  is  in  bad  taste  and  is  no  longer  decoration. 
On  the  other  hand,  ornamentation  exists  to  show  itself  and 
uses  the  thing  upon  which  it  is  applied  as  a  vehicle  for  expos- 
ing itself. 

This  may  be  clearly  seen  in  the  following  illustration. 
Some  women  know  the  difference  between  a  lady  and  a 
manikin.  Some  don't.  The  former  wear  dresses  in  the  street 
that  make  them  inconspicuous  and  that  allow  them  to  go  about 
their  business  unmolested  by  gaze  or  otherwise.  There  are 
some,  however,  that  consider  their  function  the  same  as  that 
of  the  lay  figure  or  model  in  a  dress-making  establishment,  and 
they  parade  the  streets  to  show  clothes  just  as  the  model 
or  lay  figure  parades  them  in  the  shop. 

Decoration,  then,  must  never  appear  more  prominent  than 
the  copy  or  the  other  necessary  material  out  of  which  the  dis- 
play is  made.  The  intensely  bad  taste  of  elaborate  borders, 
over-ornamented  initials,  grotesque  head  and  tail  pieces,  is  a 
result  of  misconception  as  to  the  difference  between  the  decora- 
tive idea  and  the  ornamental  one. 


308  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

Again,  historic  ornamentation  is  the  direct  result  of  the 
crystallization  of  ideas.  These  pieces  of  ornament  have  come 
to  stand  for  certain  ideas  as  clearly  as  words  do.  For  exam- 
ple, the  qualities  of  classic  construction  and  decoration  are 
expressed  by  Greek  motifs.  These  qualities  are  primarily 
simplicity,  sincerity,  and  consistency.  These  motifs  can 
scarcely  be  used  except  where  great  restraint  or  simplicity  is 


COAL    AGE    BOUND    VOLUMES    FOR    SALE 

We  have  just  received  from  the  binders  bound  copies  of  Coa!  Age.  Volume  1  (Oct  14.  1911  to 
June  30.  1912,  inclusive)  and  Volume  2  (July  1  to  December  3 1 .  1912.  inclusive)  These  books  are 
bound  in  cloth  and  mclude  the  complete  mdcx  toeach  volume.  We  have  only  a  limited  supply  on  hand. 

PRICE  PER  VOLUME,  f3  •«  POSTPAID 

COAL  AGE,  505  PEARL  STREET,  NEW  YORK  CITY 


Attractive,   interesting  and  convincing  arrangement  within  a  horizontal 
oblong,   dignified,  restful,  well  built,  and   pleasing 

desired.  On  the  other  hand,  the  motifs  of  the  French  Renais- 
sance are  out  of  the  consciousness  of  the  life  in  which  men 
play  —  frivolity,  insincerity,  vanity,  instability,  and  such  like 
characteristics.  Vanity  boxes  and  allied  products  seem  a 
little  more  relevant  when  enclosed  in  French  motifs  than  Greek 
ones ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  building  materials,  fine,  solid 
old  furniture  and  kindred  objects  appear  satisfactory  when 
associated  with  the  classic  idea. 

4-  Type 

With  a  clearer  understanding  of  the  importance  of  form 
in  the  various  fields  of  art  expression,  such  as  architecture, 
decoration,  and  other  phases  of  composition,  there  is  coming 
an  understanding  of  the  importance  of  choice  in  tvpc.  One 
of  the  most  important  things  in  advertising  display  is  the 
creating  of  an  atmosphere,  or  mental  state,  of  harmony,  clear- 
ness, and  pleasure.     Fven  set  types  are,  by  their  form,  the 


FUNCTIONS  AND  ELEMENTS  OF  DISPLAY 


309 


expressions  of  ideas  quite  distinct  from  those  of  other  forms. 
Handmade  letters  may  be  made  to  express  almost  any  qual- 
ity,   by    the    proportion    of 


Here's  The  Number  Four 
Hartness  Automatic  Die 


their  sizes,  the  ratio  of 
height  to  width,  the  width 
of  line,  and  other  accessory 
form  arrangements. 

If  a  man  is  exploiting 
paving  stones  or  bricks,  or 
even  heavy  machinery,  he 
needs  to  express  his  idea  in 
type  that  is  heavy,  strong, 
compact  —  in  short,  to  em- 
body as  many  of  the  quali- 
ties or  characteristics  of  the 
object  he  exploits  as  he  pos- 
sibly can.  The  repetition 
of  the  quality  in  any  new 
form  of  display  adds  just 
so  much  strength  and  power 
to  the  appeal  that  is  made. 
If  the  qualities  of  the  com- 
modity are  of  a  more  ephem- 
eral, dainty  sort,  a  type  should  be  used  whose  form,  pro- 
portion, and  arrangement  express  clearly  these  qualities.  This 
view  of  type  places  form  in  its  proper  relation  to  word 
meaning,  color  significance,  and  the  function  of  the  illustrative 
picture. 


hat  this  die  *ill  thread  pitches  as  iinc  as  32 
per  inch,  on  any  diameter  within  its  capacity,  even  the' larg- 
est.  What  range  do  you  get  from  your  automatic  die  holder 
of  corresponding  size?  Wc  invite  comparison  of  our  dies 
with  those  of  other  design  on  this  or  any  other  practical  basis.. 

JONES  S  LAMSON   MACHINE  COMPANY 

Spnnsfield.  Veraont,  USA        97  Qu«n  Victoria  Street.  London.  E.  C. 


An  excellent  arrangement  of  copy 
and  illustrations  properly  placed  and 
embodying  the  qualities  essential  in 
a  good  display 


5.  Texture 

Not  much  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  selection  of  stock 
papers  as  expressions  of  the  idea  of  quality.  In  the  case  of 
newspapers  and  magazines  and  such  work,  where  a  fixed  kind 
of  paper  is  used,  the  question  of  selection,  of  course,  is  not 


3IO  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

pertinent.  But  in  catalogues,  circulars,  letter-heads,  etc.,  it 
is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  quality  of  texture  form 
a  consideration  in  the  conception  of  advertising  display  as  a 
language  of  expression. 

Texture  is  the  term  which  expresses  the  quality  one  gets 
through  the  sense  of  touch  or  feeling.  By  association  these 
ideas  of  hardness,  smoothness,  roughness,  compactness,  porous- 
ness, thinness,  etc.,  are  associated  in  the  mind  in  such  a  way 
that  we  seem  to  see  these  ideas  or  qualities  when  they  appear 
in  objects  presented  to  the  sense  of  sight.  Since  the  eye 
recognizes  instantly  such  qualities  as  strength,  permanence, 
delicacy,  weakness,  daintiness,  grossness,  compactness,  etc., 
in  paper  stocks,  it  is  desirable  that  stock  be  made  to  do  its 
part  both  in  the  creation  of  the  desired  atmosphere  and  also 
in  the  expression  of  the  fundamental  idea  which  the  advertise- 
ment exploits. 

6.  The  Importance  of  Form 

If  it  is  clearly  seen  that  copy,  illustration,  ornament,  type, 
color,  and  texture  are  all  of  them  elements  of  this  new  lan- 
guage and  that  each  element  is.  in  itself,  a  force  and  power 
to  be  reckoned  with,  there  remains  but  one  necessary  premise 
in  outlining  the  distinctive  points  we  are  to  consider,  namely, 
the  importance  of  layout  or  form. 

The  importance  of  a  knowledge  of  form  in  connection  with 
any  art  work  is  too  well  understood  to  recpiire  any  discussion 
here.  It  is  a  basis  for  everything  else.  No  matter  how  nuich 
or  how  fine  the  material  in  any  constructed  thing,  if  this  ma- 
terial is  unorganized  and  badly  formed  the  result  is  chaotic. 
Fine  bricks,  expensive  woods,  desirable  furniture,  artistic  rugs 
and  pictures  may  not  result  in  a  beautiful  house.  The  care- 
ful construction  and  arrangement  of  these  is  as  surely  a  cri- 
terion as  is  their  choice  in  the  beginning. 

In  advertising.  "  form  "  or  layout  is  a  matter  of  building 


FUNCTIONS  AND  ELEMENTS  OF  DISPLAY 


311 


or  arranging  within  certain  limits  certain  materials  to  express 
particular  ideas.  The  edges  of  the  paper,  or  the  limits  of  the 
space  used,  form  a  structural  line  —  a  building  line  which  de- 
termines in  a  way  the  general  arrangement  of  copy,  illustra- 
tions, and  other  matters  which  are  to  be  placed  within  each 
space.     Both  ideas  and  atmosphere  in  advertising  are  in  a 


ASHLAND  BRICK 

is  specially  made  for  Metal- 
lurgical and  Chemical  work. 

ASHLAND  FIREBRICK  COMPANY 

ASatAND  KE-MTtlCKY 


y^HLAND  BRICK  .pecuBy 
made  (or  Metallurgical  and 
Ojemical  WorL 


ASHLAND  nRE  BRJCK  COMPANY 


First  half  shows  a  structural,  well  built,  interesting  and  convincing 
advertisement  with  sane  distribution  and  copj'  well  related  to  back- 
ground. Border  sufficient.  Second  half  shows  same  copy  badly  grouped, 
badly  related,  type  too  small,  initial  distracting  and  frame  out  of  pro- 
portion to  copy 

great  measure  dependent  upon  the  form  which  these  elements 
of  display  take  in  their  final  arrangement.  Form  is  accord- 
ingly an  important  element  in  the  question  of  advertising  dis- 
play. It  will  be  treated,  with  an  analysis  of  its  various  prin- 
ciples, in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

The  Function  of  Display 

Having  seen  the  meaning  of  display  and  somewhat  con- 
sidered the  elements  necessary  in  its  expression,  let  us  look 
into  the  second  part  of  the  subject  —  the  function  or  use  of 
display. 

Much,  very  much,  has  been  written  and  said  about  "  ap- 
peal," the  things  that  make  appeal,  and  considerable  about 
the  power  and  value  of  certain  things  as  attention-getters.  It 
seems,  however,  that  display  exists  for  one  thing;  namely,  to 
produce  results.     There  are  three  distinct  steps  in  bringing 


312  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

about  this  result  that  we  need  to  have  in  mind  both  in  the 
choice  and  arrangement  of  material. 

Whatever  the  problem  is,  the  first  necessity  is  to  secure  an 
audience.  The  display,  whatever  its  kind,  must  be  of  such 
a  nature  that  attention  is  voluntarily  given  on  the  part  of  the 
reader.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  a  person's 
attention  sometimes  may  be  gained  by  a  touch  on  the  shoulder 


NEW  VORK  UNIVinaiTT 
SCHOOL  Ot  COMMinOC 
ACCOUNT*    AND    riNANOt 


Mrs.  Elsie  Oobb  Wllsoni 
1910  Sunderland  Plao«, 
Washingtoot  D>  0. 


An  envelope  with  interesting  placing  of  address,  stamps  and  personal 
copy.     Address  type  might  be  a  little  stronger 

as  effectually  as  by  a  slap  in  the  face.  Let  us  recognize  at  the 
outset  that  it  is  not  always  the  most  violent  thing  that  com- 
mands the  most  nor  the  best  attention  of  the  public  mind. 

Forcing  the  reader  to  "  stop,  look,  listen  "  avails  but  little 
if  the  display  does  not  contain  such  things  as  will  tend  to  stim- 
ulate his  interest  and  hold  it  to  the  end  of  the  argument.  For 
sustained  attention  interest  is  absolutely  essential.  Where 
the  reader's  interest  is  not  roused  and  retained,  the  display 
is  a  failure,  no  matter  how  great  its  immediate  attention  value. 
Many  times  the  attention  value  of  a  piece  of  copy  is  so  strong 
that  the  mind  is  led  to  contemplate  a  very  different  phase  of 
the  subject   from  the  one  intended,  and  often  the  attention 


FUNCTIONS  AND  ELEMENTS  OF  DISPLAY  313 

power  is  so  strong  that  one  looks  and  looks  away  in  sheer  self- 
defense.  Interest  is  a  matter  of  careful  psychological  study 
and  is  treated  in  detail  in  another  section.  This  cannot  be 
too  thoroughly  studied. 

The  quality  of  conviction  which  a  thing  carries  is  its  final 
test.  Having  won  attention  and  secured  interest,  our  suc- 
cess depends  upon  the  convincing  quality  of  what  we  present. 
Certain  facts  of  sincerity,  frankness  and  truth  are  prom- 
inent in  this  quality.  The  function  then  of  advertising  dis- 
play may  be  briefly  said  to  be  the  power  to  arrest  public 
attention,  normally  stimulate  its  interest,  and  convincingly 
present  the  ideas  for  which  any  given  commodity  stands. 

Advertising  display  then  is  indeed  a  language.  It  depends, 
like  all  other  applied  art  expression,  first,  upon  a  knowledge 
of  the  commodity  to  be  exploited,  and,  second,  upon  one's 
conception  of  how  human  beings  act  individually  and  in  masses 
under  certain  given  circumstances.  It  also  implies  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  scientific  meaning  and  artistic  combination  of 
copy,  illustration,  ornament,  type  and  texture  in  one  unit 
whose  ideas  are  relevant,  sequential,  and  presented  both  with 
the  idea  of  fitness  to  purpose  and  beauty  in  arrangement. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM 

The  Importance  and  Meaning  of  Form 

Because  of  the  supreme  importance  of  form  in  every  made 
thing  it  seems  wise  to  look  carefully  into  this  phase  of  the 
subject  before  discussing  further  the  elements  or  materials 
concerned  in  arranging  the  form  in  advertising  display.  The 
principles  of  form,  like  other  abstract  principles,  should  be 
clearly  understood,  and  the  effect  of  their  use  and  abuse  tested. 
Then  one  needs  to  know  that  all  rules  have  exceptions  and 
to  modify  each  individual  case  according  to  common  sense. 
The  slavish  follower  of  any  general  rule  must  at  times  not 
only  annul  another  rule  of  equal  value  but  defeat  the  end  he 
has  in  view  besides.  Know  principles  of  construction  in  any 
field  thoroughly;  then,  like  the  poet  or  other  genius,  defy  them 
for  good  reasons  only. 

The  successful  evolution  of  any  definite  thing  means  a 
conscious  plan  of  organization  in  which  all  of  the  elements 
uj:ed  are  considered  in  relation  to  each  other  and  in  relation 
to  the  laws  or  principles  of  arrangement  in  their  making.  In 
designing  a  house,  the  architect  considers  not  only  its  func- 
tion and  its  cost,  but  the  materials  out  of  which  it  is  made. 
He  sees  their  possibilities,  their  limitations,  and  then  decides 
the  proportions  of  space  and  surface  to  be  allotted  to  each 
particular  detail  in  his  creation.  When  the  general  structure 
of  the  walls  has  been  determined  he  plans  and  arranges  all 
subordinate  parts  within  these  bounding  structure  walls  and 
in  direct  relation  to  them.  The  gable,  the  doors,  the  win- 
dows, the  cornice,  and  other  minor  details  of  the  facade  are 

314 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM 


315 


related  each  structurally  and  in  due  proportion  to  the  lines 
vertical  and  horizontal  which  are  the  limits  of  the  fagade  it- 
self. 


■INTtRNATIONACBIBLE  PRCSS 

THE  JOHN  C.WINSTON  CO. 

BOOK  AND  BIBLE 
PUBLISHERS  AND  MANUFACTURERS 

WINSTON  BUrL0ING-IO06-l0l6  ARCH  STREET 

PHILADELPHIA 


■iTAi.  I'ooooaoa 


Letter-head  showing  unorganized  mass.     No  structure,  no  definite  space 
allotment,  uninteresting  and  difficult  to  read 


NEW  YORK  UNIVERSITY 
SCHOOL  OF  COMMERCE 
ACCOUNTS  AND  FINANCE 


Nbw   VonK   Umiversitv 

SCMOOU     OF     COMMFfVCK 
ACCOUNTS    AND     FlnAMCS 


PHILLIPS  &  VAN  BRUNT  Ca 
PRINTING  AT  PROPER  PRICES 
CICHTY-SEVCN  FRANKFORT  STREET 
TSLK^MONK  MUMSmSi   BSCIUIAM  •••»••«• 


Well  organized  letter-heads 


From  this  illustration  we 
of  form,  which  is  called  the 
tural  Unity." 


may   derive   the   first   principle 
'  Principle  of  Consistent  Struc- 


3l6  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


Lord  Help  Apprentices 

depending  on  foremen  to  teach  them  anything! 
exclaimed  a  Craftsman  at  our  November  meeting. 

There's  more  truth  than  jest  in  that  statement.  It  brings  to  mind  one 
of  the  most  important,  and  also  one  of  the  most  neglected,  problems 
of  the  printing  business.  How  are  you  superintendents  and  foremen 
of  New  York  printing  plants  "breaking  in"  the  apprentices?  -How 
many  boys  are  nmning  around  your  shop  subject  to  anybody's  beck 
or  call?  What  personal  effort  have  you  made  to  improve  the  alleged 
"system"  under  which  your  apprentices  are  "learning  their  trade"?  Any? 
Whether  you  have  or  not,  this  problem  will  be  turned  inside  out  at 
our  next  meeting  by  a  man  who  through  years  of  hard  work  and 
special  study  has  more  than  made  good  in   this   particular  endeavor 

The  Apprentices:  Training  Those  Who  Are  to 
Succeed  Us.    Dr.  J.  L.  EHiott,  of  Hudson  Guild, 

will  make  a  straightforward,  interesting  presentation  on  the  every- 
day work  of  a  "man  on  the  job."  Dr  Elliott  knows  his  problem 
thoroughly  frOm  center  to  circumference  and  will  tell  us  all  about  the 
system  that  hasf  made  his  efforts  so  successful.  This  talk  will  surely 
prove  a  vigorous  spur  to  a  greater  and  more  personal  effort  on  the  part 
of  all  earnest  Craftsmen  in  helping  the  apprentices  under  their  charge 
to  become  better  and  more  eflScient  printers,  not  necessarily  from  a 
himianitarian  standpoint,  but  because  it  pays — and  because  it  pays  big. 
Charles  Francis,  President  of  the  New  York  Printers'  League,  says 
"Dr.  Elliott  is  doing  a  work  single  handed  that  the  Master  Printers 
should  be  doing  themselves."  Charles  McCoy,  Business  Manager  Print- 
ing Trade  News,  says:  "The  work  Dr  EUiolt  is  doing  is  so  thorough,  its 
benefits  so  great  to  the  trade,  that  he  should  receive  unstinted  encourage- 
ment." Many  others  speak  just  as  enthusiastically  of  the  doctor's 
work.     Be  sure  to  come  and  hear  Dr    Elliott  and — try  to  bring  a  guest. 

Put  a  memo  on  your  calendar  under  date  of  December  19 
to  be  at  the  Broadway  Centra]  Hotel,  673  Broadway  (between 
3rd  and  4th  Sts.)  at  7:30  p.m.  Members  $1.50.  Guests  $2.00. 
For  tickets,  address  J.  Dowling,  419  Lafayette  St.,  New  York 


Page   illustration   showing  perfectly  consistent,   structural,   well   margined 
page  and  well  distributed  sizes  of  type  matter 

Consistent  Structural  Unity 

The  general  plan  or  shape  of  all  advertising  space  is  either 
square  or  oblong  —  generally  the  latter.     Sometimes  the  ob- 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM 


317 


AmeritanMachinist 


THE  LUMEN  BEARING  CO. 
offer  the  services  of  an  organiza- 
tion trained  to  the  manufacture  and 
sale  of  non-ferrous  castings  and  ingots. 

The  foundry  experience  of  years  is  made  effi- 
cient by  the  constant  guidance  and  control  of  a 
well  equipped  and  carefully  directed    laboratory. 

The  products  are  sold  with  a  view  to  intelli- 
gent  specification    for    each    customer's    service. 


The  details  0!  our  various  products  inay  b«  easily  ascer- 
tained from  the    following    booklets  sent   upon    request: 

Plant  Pescrtplion— Ideal  Bearings  for  Etectncal  Mactiinety— Ideal 
Beannftf  for  Cxsolinr  Engines— Ideal  Trolley  Wheels— Bushings— 
A  Proper  Dnving  Kit— Oil  Grooves— Fitting  Ifp  Bearings— Copper 
Castings  of  Highest  Conductivity— White  Metal  Die  Castings— Pro- 
gress in  Lining  Alloys— Casting  Alloys- Babbitt  Metals— Stock  Pat- 
terns— Treatises  on  Copper.  Aluminum.  Tin.  Antimony.  Lead,  Zinc. 


THE    LUMEN    BEARING    COMPANY 

BUFFALO  Brass  Founder's  TORONTO 


Technical  magazine  cover  page  showing  good  structure,  well  distributed 
copy,  interesting  organization,  dignified  arrangement  and  well  distributed 
margins 

long  is  vertical,  as  in  the  single  column  newspaper  or  whole 
magazine  page  advertisement.  Sometimes  the  space  is  hori- 
zontal, as  in  the  car  card  or  letter-head.  In  either  case  the 
form  is  very  much  the  same  as  the  fagade  of  the  house  or  the 


3i8 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


's^m.w^^MB:msm&. 


WESTERN  UNION 


has  greatly  reduced  the 
cost  of  cabling  abroad 
through  the  introduction  of 


Cable  Letters 

Over-night  service  to 
Europe  at  a  minimum 
charge.  Example: — A 
twelve-word  cable  letter 
from  New  York  to  London 
costs  only  75  cents. 

Ath  for  rate*  from  yoar  city. 

THEWESTERN  UNION  TELEGRAPH  CO. 


m 


■ 


Newspaper  advertisement,  structur- 
ally good,  good  margins,  border  a  little 
too  strong 


inside  wall  space  of  a  room. 
The  structure  is  rectangu- 
lar. The  boundary  is  com- 
posed of  straight  lines. 
This  determines  the  gen- 
eral feehng  of  all  well  ar- 
ranged material  within  this 
enclosed  space ;  that  is,  the 
edges  of  paragraphs  as  well 
as  the  lengths  of  the  lines 
themselves  should  be  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  give  the  gen- 
eral feeling  of  right  angu- 
lar form,  in  harmony  with 
the  edsfe  line  of  the  enclos- 


mg  space. 

Let  us  illustrate.  Tra- 
dition has  decreed  that  each  paragraph  should  have  a  slight 
inset  to  call  attention  to  the 
fact  that  a  new  group  of 
ideas  is  recorded.  This  is 
merely  a  traditional  form 
of      expression      however. 


It  will  be  seen  that  if  the 
first  line  of  the  paragraph 
be  begun  flush  with  the  fol- 
lowing lines  and  each  par- 
agraph be  dropped  one  line 
below  the  last,  the  para- 
graph is  emphasized  and 
the  structural  edge  be- 
comes harmonious  with 
that  of  the  space  limit  or 
paper  edge.     At  once  this 


Today  and  tomorrow 
the  last  two  days  of  this 

Sale  of  Men's  Silk 
Scarfs  at  45  c 

^  The  biggejt  opportunity  you  ever  had  in  scarfs 
is  passing.  You  have  just  two  da>s  more,  includ- 
ing this  one,  in  which  to  take  advantage  of  the 
most  important  offering  of  fine  silk  neckwear  in 
'years.  And  we  cannot  urge  you  too  strongly  to 
avail  yourself  of  what  is  substantially  an  exhi- 
bition of  the  smartest  conceits  in  cravats.  They 
are  positively  wonderful — countless  designs  and 
forty  varieties  of  silks — stripes,  figures,  checks, 
plaids  and  solids — not  a  hackneyed  pattern  m  the 
selection-v-but  all  of  them  new  as  November,  and 
of  that  liberality, of  fold  which  is  ever  character- 
istic of  an  aristocratic  four-in-hand. 


Broadway  at  34th  Street 


Newspaper  advertisement  with  body 
well  formed,  head  and  foot  badly 
spaced  and  badly  arranged 


With  a  NELSON 


Two  Spindle 
Adjustable 


Drill 
Head 


You  Pay 
for  One  Hole 

That's  fundamental — you  can't 
get  away  from  it  unless  some  phil- 
anthropist offers  to  drill  your  holes  for 
nothing.  But  if  you  use  a  single  spindle 
drill  you  pay  for  the  same  price  for 
each  and  every  hole.  Intensive  manu- 
facturing methods  of  the  present  day 
have  proved  this  to  be  a  wasteful, 
inefficient  practice — and  this  tool 
offers  you  the  way  out. 
Equip  your  drills  with 
it— 


And  You  Get 
the  Other  One  FREE 

For  it    drills    two    holes    in  pre- 
cisely  the   same   time   that   it  now 
takes  to  drill  one   at  a  scarcely  per- 
ceptible increase  in  the  power  required. 

There's  no  guesswork    about  it: — scores 
of    the    greatest  manufacturers    in    the 
country  such  as   the  General    Electric 
Co.,    Studebaker    Corporation,    Mer- 
genthaler   Linotype   Co.,    Ander- 
son    Electric  Car  Co.,  have 
proved  it  for  you. 


Capacity  If-in.  to  8|-m.  between  centers.    Note  tfie  extra  strong  construc- 
tion, casing  of  all  gears  (they  run  in  an  oil  bath).    Drills  instantly  and  posi- 
tively locked  in  any  position. 
The  coupon  brings  you  complete  details.    Send  it  to  us  TODAY. 

Nelson-Blanck  Manufacturing  Co.,  oubi's^  Detroit,  Mich. 


Nelson-Blanck  Mfg.  Co. 
Detroit,  Mich. 

Please  send  me  details  on  "Drilling  the  Other  Hole  Free."     No  obligation 
to  me. 

Name 

Firm 

Address 


Trade  paper  page,  showing  unrelated  shapes.     Splendidly  placed,  well 
distributed,  interesting  and  convincing 


319 


320 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


Combine  Pleasure 
with  Business 

GOTO 

Philadelphia 


See  some  of  the  most  beautiful 
scenery  in  New  Jersey  Ride  in 
comfort  in  a  perfectly  equipped 
train  over  a  perfectly  smooth 
roadbed.  Enjoy  a  bountiful 
breakfast,  luncheon  or  dinner, 
promptly  and  courteously  served 

Hard  Coal  No  Smoke  No  Tunnels 

Your  Watch  Is 
Your  Time  Table 

Eyerj  Hour  en  the  Hour  fast  trains 
leave  Liberty  Street  (rom  7  A.  M  to  10 
P.  M.  weekdays.  8  A.  M.  to  11  P.  M. 
Sundays.  Midnight  train  daily ;  Sleep- 
ers ready  10  P  M.  (Leave  West  23d 
St.  10  minutes  of  the  hour  (or  all  trains.) 


Newspaper  column  adver- 
tisement. Lower  two-thirds 
structural  and  well  distrib- 
uted. Upper  one-third  loose, 
non-structural  and  badly  han- 
dled 


produces  an  effect  of  organiza- 
tion, dignity,  security,  and  places 
lines  more  nearly  of  the  same 
length.  This  last  situation  makes 
reading  simpler,  since  the  eye  by 
habit  swings  from  left  to  right 
across  the  page.  Particularly  is 
it  easier  to  read  when  every  line 
begins  directly  under  the  one 
above  it.  The  right-hand  edge 
of  the  material  should  also  be 
kept  structurally  in  harmony 
with  the  edge,  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible. 

The  foregoing  plan  is  being 
widely  adopted  in  certain  phases 
of  advertising  and  should  obtain 
not  only  in  the  printed  page  but 
also  in  the  written  one. 

Even  where  the  body  is  well 
formed,  however,  one  often  finds 
the  leading  head  display  lines  or 
the  foot  display  in  extraordinarily 
bad  form.  The  head  should  be 
constructed  in  as  nearly  horizon- 
tal oblong  feeling  as  possible  :  the 
foot  as  well.  If  either  of  these 
must  vary,  better  the  head  than 
the  foot.  This  is  because  it  is 
essential  that  the  page  have  a 
sufficient  foundation  so  that  ma- 
terial upon  it  may  seem  to  be  well 
supported.  Weakness  at  the  end 
of  anything  is  unpleasant.     It  is 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM  321 

particularly  so  when  a  structure  seems  to  rest  upon  a  weak 
foundation. 

Consistent  Shapes  and  Sizes 

The  second  principle  of  form  is  called  "  Consistent  Shapes 
and  Sizes."  Let  us  consider  the  first  part  of  this  alone. 
Shape  or  form  is  seen  because  of  bounding  edges.  The  circle, 
which  is  a  plane  figure  bounded  by  a  curved  line  changing  its 
direction  equally  at  every  point,  and  the  square,  which  is  a 
plane  figure  bounded  by  four  straight  lines  of  equal  length 
and  having  four  right  angles,  illustrate  two  forms  as  inhar- 
monious as  two  can  be.  This  is  because  they  have  nothing 
in  common  so  far  as  bounding  lines  are  concerned.  Because 
this  is  so,  it  is  difficult  indeed  to  place  the  circle  in  the  square, 
or  oblong,  adjacent  to  each  other  with  any  appearance  of  har- 
mony in  so  doing. 

The  placing  of  a  round  clock  within  an  oblong  space  upon 
the  wall,  or  placing  a  round  picture  next  to  a  square  or  oblong 
one,  creates  an  ugly,  discordant  and  inartistic  spotting.  To 
place  the  round  cut  in  the  oblong  space,  or  to  use  a  curved 
line  trademark  adjacent  to  straight  lines  of  print  or  paper 
edges,  has  precisely  the  same  effect.  Some  one  will  doubt- 
less say,  "  But  the  trademark  is  used  for  the  purpose  of  at- 
tracting attention  and  should  be  of  a  different  shape  from  any 
other  material  within  the  enclosing  form."  or,  perchance,  will 
say,  "  The  cut  is  designed  to  call  special  attention  to  it."  This 
is  true,  but  again  it  is  not  essential  to  create  an  ugly  condi- 
tion to  attract  attention.  There  are  ways  and  means  amply 
sufficient  to  emphasize  any  point  without  violating  flagrantly 
the  laws  of  form  and  color.  When  cuts  or  trademarks  are 
bounded  by  curved  or  erratic  lines  they  must  be  placed  through 
an  understanding  of  the  law  of  balance  and  the  optical  center 
in  such  a  way  that  when  they  are  supported  by  type  or  other 
material  their  vicious  contrast  is  less  noticeable.     Illustrations 


GAS  tmms 

Absolutely  MthoutCbiM: 

*ThU  U  tbe  Dew  tDvenUon  ««  mentioMd  in  rM«ot  Lmum  of  Power,  which  wouki 
be  ot  ialtnm.  to  aU  u^r«  o(  internal  oombujuon  eti<UM«. 

This  will  announce  to  the  public  The  Meriara  Steam 
Process  by  means  of  which  steam  can  be  generated  by 
the  ordinary  gas  engine. 

This  process  has  recently  been  demon- 
strated and  tested  before  various  engineering 
organizations  and  prominent  engineers;  the 
tests  showing  in  excess  of  4  lbs.  of  water  evap- 
orated into  steam  at 


'ki 


a    n    fx     ft 


25  lbs.  pressure  for 
each  horsepower  hour 
delivered  by  the  en- 
gine. 

Several  installa- 
tions of  this  process 
are  already  in  opera- 
tion   and   are   showing   almost   unbelievable 
results. 

No  public  announcement  has  previous- 
ly been  made  by  The  Bruce-Macl:eth 
Engine  Co.  or  the  inventor,  Mr.  J.  B. 
Meriam,  as  it  was  their  desire  to  first  be 
absolutely     positive     regarding     the    prac- 


MelriaM 
STEAM  PROCESS 


ticability  of  the  process  and  tlie  perfection  of 
mechanical  equipment.  From  the  few,  how- 
ever, who  have  seen  demonstrations,  orders 
are  already  coming  in. 

Meriam  Steam  Process 
is  applicable  to  all 
internal  combustion 
engines,  whether  op 
crated  on  natural  gas. 
city  gas,  coal  or  oil 
Full  particulars  re 
.  garding  liiis  new  de 
velopment  will  be  ma'lcd  to  any  reader  of 
'*Power"'  without  cost. 

If  interested  in  a  combined  plant,  which 
affords  tlic  advantages  of  a  steam  plant  with 
the  wonderfully  low  operating  cost  of  a  gas 
plant,  write  us 
tor  estimate. 


iiiiiiiiiiiiiJJiiiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinOTro 


The  flrucg-Macbeth  Fnqine  (a 


Page  showing  badly  placed  illustrations,  badly  chosen  type,  badly  arranged 
copy,  too  much  border  and  too  much  illustration  for  one  page 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM  323 

of  the  right  and  wrong  uses  of  these  things  may  be  found  in 
the  accompanying  advertisements. 

The  second  part  of  this  principle,  which  is  known  as  "  Con- 
sistent Sizes,"  should  have,  perhaps,  a  more  thorough  explana- 
tion than  the  foregoing,  because  upon  a  clear  understanding 
of  it  depend  largely  the  relationships  in  size  which  will  exist 
in  the  advertisement  —  matters  of  margins,  blank  spaces,  ar- 
rangement, blocks  of  copy,  size  of  illustrations,  width  of  bor- 
ders, proportions  of  initials.  It  is  the  clear  understanding 
of  such  matters  as  these  that  secures  pleasant  relationships  in 
sizes  in  any  material  with  which  we  deal. 

The  Greek  Law  of  Areas 

The  Greeks,  more  than  any  other  people  that  have  ever 
lived,  made  their  life  ideal  the  study  of  intellectual,  imper- 
sonal form.  Through  centuries  of  mental  and  physical  train- 
ing they  developed  the  most  nearly  perfect  human  figures 
that  have  ever  been  known.  They  also  evolved  a  simple, 
consistent,  and  sincere  intellectual  architecture  and  ornament 
which  have  been  the  source  or  well-spring  of  inspiration  for 
all  succeeding  schools  except,  perhaps,  the  Gothic.  The  chief 
fact  in  this  whole  development  was  the  evolution  of  the  most 
subtle  sense  of  proportion  in  areas  and  lengths  which  has 
ever  been  found.  By  measuring,  comparing,  and  deducing, 
scholars  have  solved  or  made  a  general  expression  of  the 
proportion  through  which  this  subtlety  was  gained.  In  an 
elementary  way  it  may  be  stated  thus : 

The  Greek  avoided  exact  mechanical  divisions  wherever 
possible.  He  never  made  a  thing  twice,  three  times,  or  four 
times  the  size  of  another.  Second,  he  was  as  careful  not  to 
use  two  areas  which  the  mind  found  it  difficult  to  compare 
as  he  was  to  avoid  using  exact  multiples.  An  area  of  three 
square  inches  is  not  comparable  with  one  of  twenty-five  square 
inches,  but  one  of  three  square  inches  and  one  of  five  square 


The  Rage  of  a  Spring  Freshet 

Could  Not  Harm  These  American  Ingot  Iron  Culverts 


Sweeping  down  from  the  hills,  the  waters  of  a  spring 
freshet  tore  out  a  road — tossed  broken  pavement  like 
chips — and  cannonaded  the  aUverts  with  debris. 


The  Culverts  \yere  Armco  American  Ingot 
Iron.  They  were  not  injured  in  any  way. 
Strains  that  ruined  the  concrete  bulkheads 
were  withstood — stresses  of  every  kind 
endured. 

Armco  Iron  Culverts  prove  their  worth  in 
service.  Under  conditions  that  would  be 
fatal  to  most  culverts,  these  stand  up 
triumphantly — and,  if  forced  away  from 
their  places,  as  in  the  cas2  above,  may 
readily  be"  hauled  back  and  re-installed, 
upon  which  they  are  ready  to  give  good 
"again. 


Armco  Culverts'  have  strength,  natural 
abiHty  to  withstand  severe  wear  and 
the  forces  of  corrosion,  and  the  flexibility 
to  conform  to  a  shifting  bed.  Their  cor- 
rugations enable  them  to  readily  adjust 
themselves  to  expansion  and  contraction. 
These  are  the  culverts  for  the  difficult 
places. 

Write  the  nearest  manufacturer  for  par- 
ticulars and  prices  on  American  Ingot  Iron 
Armco  Culverts,  Sheets,  Plates,  Roofing 
and  Formed  Products. 


Catlfefola. 


sai'tiv'^';M,u 


Jad>pfMMtM  Culvart  C 


fl'Tr'tt^i^-^.ti"**  . 


Ne*u]>.  R«tio 
NcVftdft  MftAl 


MoDUa*  Culvert  Oa. 


OkUtioma,  ShBw«< 


•  Corr.  Culvert  *  Tuk  OS, 


kUtioma,  ShBw«M  WUcosflit,  %mu  Clair* 

p»la  culvtn  *  M«u)  Oa.  hMk  Hivar  Brldce  *  Culvert  CO,  ' 


Showinp^  bi-symmetric  placing  of  trade-mark,  well  placed  illustration 
and  well  balanced  copy.  Margins  bad;  illustration  too  large  for  so  much 
copy 


324 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM 


325 


inches  are  easily  comparable.  The  Greek  avoided  such  com- 
binations as  the  first  case. 

The  law  of  his  practice  may  be  stated  in  general  in  these 
terms:  Distances  or  areas  are  subtle  and  pleasing  together 
when  one  of  them  is  between  one-half  and  two-thirds  the 
length  or  area  of  the  other.  This  leaves  quite  a  play  or  differ- 
ence in  length  or  size  as  circumstances  develop  that  need  in- 
dividual treatment,  but  at  the  same  time  avoids  bringing  to- 
gether crude  and  incomparable  lengths  and  sizes. 

This  law  should  be  considered  in  connection  with  one  other 


1^'1t.^.':t!~'                                                  Dale 

Virginia  T.  Odom  and  Emily  Rushmore 

Interior     Decorators     and     Advisory     Bnyera 

New  York  City 

Well  balanced  bill  head  with  proper  structure  and  proper  allotment  of 

blank  space 

important  point  before  its  concrete  applications  are  made. 
Every  student  is  familiar  with  what  is  known  as  the  "  Law 
of  Optics."  The  exact  center  of  a  page  is  not  the  apparent 
center,  the  apparent  center  always  falling  a  little  above  the 
real  or  exact  one.  Because  this  is  so,  the  weight  or  strength 
of  the  display  should  appear  above  the  real  center  of  the 
advertising  space.  This  prevents  the  feeling  of  dropping  from 
the  top,  or  sagging,  as  it  may  be  called,  either  of  which  feel- 
ings not  only  destroys  the  artistic  merit  but.  with  no  apparent 
artistic  sense,  creates  an  uncomfortable  mental  situation  on 
the  part  of  the  reader. 


326 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


This  Greek  law  of  proportion  is  sometimes  crudely  stated 
as  the  ratio  of  5  to  7  to  ii.  This  is  somewhere  near  correct 
and  perhaps  near  enough  to  work  with.  In  applying  this 
ratio  to  the  margins  of  a  page  it  will  be  clearly  seen  that  the 
widest  margin  —  or  11  —  should  appear  at  the  bottom,  the 
next  widest  —  or  7  —  at  the  top,  and  5  —  the  narrowest  — 
should  appear  alike  on  either  side  in  all  vertical  compositions 
of  space.  In  horizontal  compositions  the  widest  margin 
should  still  appear  at  the  bottom,  the  middle  size  at  the  right 
and  left,  and  the  narrowest  at  the  top.  This  is  so  that  the 
general  form  of  the  display  within  the  composition  shall  pre- 
serve the  same  ratio  as  is  found  in  the  enclosing  space  itself. 
Not  only  should  the  Greek  law  of  areas  be  applied  to  mar- 
gins, but  also,  when  pos- 
sible without  interfering 
with  the  meaning  of  the 
copy,  it  should  apply  to  the 
width  and  strength  of  the 
various  parts  or  paragraphs 
of  the  copy  within  the 
space.  When  it  is  possible 
to  do  this,  the  effect  is 
doubly  pleasing.  There  is 
also  often  a  chance  to  apply 
these  proportions  to  the 
blank  space  between  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  copy  dis- 
play. \\'hen  it  is  possible 
Not  enough  attention  is 
Blank  space 


SYNOL 


mUmHIi   HqaU   timp   and   l>   *•  *A-r< 

«li«  »uiton  al  not  toaiiitmlrl  •(soal  UUau  br  kOb 

lk4  bwUM  «Hta~a  bidM  9r*«l  F^kis^t 

A«    afl    Dr«fcUU. 


CtyHnrpH/^^iqn^wuiv 


Newspaper  advertisement  witli 
good  grouping,  but  badly  balanced 
on  blank  space.  Last  two  lines  should 
be  brought  to  extreme  left 


to  do  SO,  this  has  an  added  value 

paid  to  the  relative  widths  of  these  blank  spaces 

is  often  more  eloquent  than  copy. 

A  helpful  thought  may  be  given  here  as  to  how  wide  blank 
spaces  may  be  between  parts  of  the  same  copy  composition. 
Take,  for  example,  a  paragraph  explaining  the  display  head- 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM  327 

ing,  a  second  following  it  explaining  the  first  paragraph,  and 
a  third  which  explains  something  at  the  bottom  of  the  page, 
that  is,  which  is  less  related  to  the  first  than  the  second  is. 
The  first  and  second  paragraphs  evidently  should  be  read 
together  and  thought  of  as  related  to  each  other.  If  these 
paragraphs  are  to  be  seen  or  thought  of  as  one  thing,  the  blank 
space  between  them  must  be  less  in  distance  than  the  width 
across  the  face  of  either  of  the  paragraphs  considered.  When 
this  is  so,  the  two  paragraphs  are  seen  as  one  thing.  The 
instant  the  space  is  wider  than  the  distance  across  either  para- 
graph they  pull  apart  and  two  distinct  unrelated  things  are 
seen.  While  it  might  be  possible  to  have  a  blank  space  wider 
than  either  the  second  or  third  paragraph,  clearly  this  would 
not  be  possible  between  the  first  and  second.  When  one  thor- 
oughly understands  this,  it  will  not  be  so  difficult  to  see  in 
advertising  display  which  parts  of  the  display  belong  together. 
Neither  will  it  be  so  difficult  to  select  the  proper  sequence  of 
ideas  on  sight  when  the  display  is  presented  for  public  con- 
sideration. 

Balance 

The  law  of  gravitation  is  responsible  for  the  erect  position 
of  human  beings  and  the  holding  of  other  material  substances 
in  proper  relation  to  the  surface  of  the  earth.  The  merest 
school  boy  knows  the  power  of  this  force  even  though  he 
may  give  little  or  no  thought  to  its  "  why  and  wherefore." 
Instinctive  knowledge  of  this  law  is  a  part  of  the  subcon- 
sciousness of  each  human  being.  It  is  so  much  a  part  of  us 
that  it  passes  unnoticed  and  unthought  of,  but  when  it  is  opposed 
or  challenged  its  power  is  immediately  felt.  The  application 
of  the  principle  of  gravitation  to  the  sense  of  sight  is  called 
"  balance."  Balance  is  that  principle  of  form  through  which 
rest  is  obtained.  Because  through  balance  rest  results,  we 
instinctively  feel  in  the  balanced  arrangement  a  sense  of  dig- 


328 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


nity,  repose,  ease  and  organization,  in  harmony  with  the  gen- 
eral condition  of  things  which  appeals  to  our  intelligence  when 

we  attempt  to  know  our 
focal  status.  Disorganiza- 
tion, haphazard  arrange- 
ment, spotted  construction, 
erratic  lines,  all  tend  to 
make  the  grasping  of  the 
idea  difficult  or  impossible. 
Designers  in  every  field 
realize  the  power  of  the 
principle  of  balance  and 
make  it  one  of  the  funda- 
mental ideas  in  working 
out  any  problem  which  re- 
quires dignity,  ease,  and  so 
.forth,  as  qualities  in  the 
solution.  There  are  two 
types  of  balance  with  which 
we  must  deal.  The  first 
is  that  known  as  bi-sym- 
metric  balance.  This,  as 
the  term  signifies,  is  a  bal- 
ance on  which  there  is  an 
equal  attraction  of  shape, 
size,  and  color  on  either 
side  of  a  vertical  center  line  drawn  through  the  composition. 
Occult  balance,  or  the  balanced  arrangement  which  is  non- 
bi-symmetric,  is  that  form  of  balance  in  which  parts  are  so 
arranged  on  either  side  of  the  vertical  center  line  that  there 
is  a  perfect  feeling  of  equal  attraction  without  the  one  side 
having  necessarily  the  same  forms,  sizes,  or  colors,  as  the 
other  side.  This  last  type  is  harder  to  sense  and  harder  to 
arrange.     It  is  more  subtle,  more  interesting,  of  greater  pos- 


Old  English  Oak 

for  the  Room  of  To-day 

TpHE  patridan  dignity  of  the 
dusky-haed  oaken  furniture  so 
blended  with  one's  mem«ies  of 
the  Stately  Halls  and  Granges 
which  give  romantic  interest  to  the 
quiet  English  Countryside  may 
give  an  added  interest  to  the  plen> 
ishing  of  the  Livine  Rooms  of 
to-day. 

Among  the  Hampton  Shops 
Keproductions  can  always  be 
foimd  such  characteristic  exam* 
pies  of  masterly  craftsmanship  as 
the  Elizabethan  Court  Cupboard 
of  glossy  dark  oak  with  its  carven 
panels  and  turned  balusters  or  the 
buffet  table  with  its  convenient 
drawers  and  air  of  grave  simplicity< 


}4  (nt  jt  Wc««  ji*  St.,    N«w  Y«t* 

••tweta  riM  A't.,  ••<  IraaOir 


Newspaper  advertisement  showing 
well  placed  material  except  last  three 
lines  which  should  be  moved  to  left 
and  two  last  lines  should  be  reset 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM 


329 


sibilities,  but  is  less  dignified,  less  formal,  less  simple,  and 
sometimes  less  restful. 

If  one  will  look  at  the  end  of  a  large  building  with  a  gable, 
conceive  a  line  to  be  drawn  from  the  center  of  the  gable  to 
the  ground  through  the  center  of  the  end,  and  then  look  on 
either  side  of  this  line  for  windows,  doors,  or  other  mate- 
rials which  are  the  same  distance  from  the  center,  are  of  the 
same  sizes  and  of  the  same  general  arrangement,  he  will  sense 
at  once  the  bi-symmetric  balance.  Place  upon  a  mantel  piece 
in  the  exact  center  some  statue  or  other  object.  On  either 
end  equi-distant  from  the  end  and  from  the  center  object 
place  two  large  candle  sticks  exactly  alike.  The  mantel  piece 
has  a  bi-symmetric  arrangement.  Dignity,  repose,  simplicity, 
easy  solution  of  the  arrangement  is  the  result. 

Again,  on  the  same  mantel  piece  place  a  large  vase  near 
the  center  but  not  in  it.  Attempt  with  two  very  different 
objects  to  balance  on  either 
side,  one  larger  and  one 
smaller,  so  that  there  shall 
seem  to  be  exactly  the  same 
amount  of  attraction  on  one 
side  of  the  vertical  center  as 
on  the  other.  You  will  see 
at  once  how  difficult  it  is  to 
place  these  objects  so  that 
the  mantel  piece  does  not 
seem  to  dip  down,  one  end 
or  the  other.  Notice  that  if 
the  central  object  is  a  little 
to  the  left  of  the  center,  the 
smaller  of  the  two  remain- 
ing objects  must  go  at  the 


'Temporary  Investment" 

Funds  now  idle  can  be  tept  in  perfect 
safety  and  at  the  same  time  earn  an  income 
— if  they  are  placed  with  us  on  Certificates 
of  Deposit.  These  bear  interest,  and  are 
payable  on  demand,  cr  at  a  convenient 
future  date. 

This  is  a  safe,  easy,  profitable  way  to 
"invest"  money  temporarily,  until  a  favor- 
able  opportunity   arises    for   permanent 


You  are  invited  to  confer,  or  correspond, 
with  our  Officers  on  this  subject,  or  about 
any  other  business  of  mutual  interest. 

Dankers  Trust  Company 

16  W«JI  StrxL  N»»  York  Cilr 


Newspaper  advertisement  with  il- 
lustration and  copy  well  balanced  ex- 
cept last  two  lines  which  should  be 
moved  to  the  right  in  structure  with 
body.     Bad   interior  margins 


left  and  the  larger  at  the  right.     This  is  the  solution  of  the 
law.     Equal  attractions  balance  each  other  at  equal  distances 


330 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


Si/itBSdle 


%atm. 
Wjiuyht 


from  the  center,  while  unequal  attractions  balance  at  unequal 
distances  from  the  center,  and  further,  unequal  attractions 
balance  each  other  at  distances  which  are  in  inverse  ratio  to 
the  power  of  their  attraction.     With  this  in  mind  it  is  well 

to  practice  arranging  in  other 
fields  than  the  display  field 
and  then  make  the  applica- 
tion to  one's  personal  prob- 
lems. 

Take  the  full  newspaper 
page,  for  example.  Draw 
a  vertical  line  through  the 
center,  cut  out  portions  of 
any  Sunday  advertisement 
dealing  with  some  specific 
thing  that  is  to  be  featured 
the  following  week.  At- 
tempt to  place  this  on  the 
vertical  line,  or  either  side 
of  it,  with  illustrations  and 
t}pe  matter  in  such  a  way 
that  there  is  perfect  balance, 
either  bi-symmetric  or  oc- 
cult, and  you  will  find  how 
much  more  readily  some  ar- 
rangements read  than  others 

T       ,  1    -11    *    *•       and  how  valuable  is  balance 

Local     newspaper     ad     illustrating 

well   balanced    material,   good    struc-     in  the  distribution  of  the  ma- 
ture and  movement  through  arms  and     j-^j-Jq]  i^^pon  the  Da"'e 
coat  .    ^  1  '  f- 

This    same    problem   may 

be  tried   with  the  magazine  page,  or  a  portion   of  it,  with 

the  layout  of  tlic  car  card  or  the  poster,  or  in  any  field  in 

which  copy,  illustration,  and  other  material  may  be  used  with 

pleasing  effect. 


The  suit  and  the  price  are 
both  as  light  as  reliability 
will  permit.  Two-piece  of- 
course,  unlined,  but  careful 
tailoring,  and  firm  fabrics 
make  it  hold  its  shape. 
Gravs  have  the  coolest  look, 
but  the  darker  colors  if  you 
prefer. 

A  saving  of  $3.  to  $5.  on 
every  suit  you  buy. 


The  World's  Foremost  Builders 


of 


TANKS  and  WOOD  PIPE 


And  it's  on  that  basis  we  solicit  your  orders— with  equip- 
ment, facilities  and  experience  unequaled. 

If  it's  a  tank  you  need,  our  Redwood  and  Douglas  Fir 
Tanks  will  more  than  measure  up  to  your  requirements — 
especially  for  long  service. 

No  iron  or  steel  tank  will  resist  the  corrosive  elements  of 
water,  which  have  absolutely  no  effect  upon  wood  tanks 
made  of  these  materials. 

If  it's  pipe  you  are  consideying,  also  consider  well  the!  life 
of  our  wood  pipe  (Redwood  and  Fir).  It  lasts  for  ages.  '  It 
has  20%  more  carrying  capacity  than  cast  iron  pipe.  It  is 
50%  cheaper. 


For  24  yonrs  tlK-.c  tanks  luivc  been  in 
demand  in  all  i>arts  uf  tin-  country,  and 
no  tank  ever  built  will  ouilast  it. 

Our  line  includes  plain  tarjis  and  pat- 
ented non-'^hrinkin^  tanks  for  water  or 
oil,  fermenting  tanks,  wagon  tanks, 
brewery  vats  and  storage  tanks,  stock 
tanks,  gravity  tanks,  house  tanks,  etc. 


ypc 


Machine  Banded  Pipe 

Manufactured  in  sizes  from  2"  to  32"  in 
diam.,  and  for  pressures  up  to  400  ft.  liead 
The  staves  for  this  pipe  are  made  from 
clear,  well -seasoned,  or  kiln-dried,  redwood 
or  fir.  These  staves  are  wound  with 
heavily  galvanized  steel  wire,  further  pro- 
tected by  being  coated  with  hot  asphaltum 
and  tar  The  wire  is  wound  on  the  pipe 
under  a  tension  that  seats  it  slightly  in  the 
wood.  The  tension  of  the  wire  is  main- 
tained by  means  of  a  clip  at  the  end  of  each 
joint,  the  wire  passing  two  or  three  limes 
through  this  clip.  The  spacing  and  size  of 
the  wire  is  determined  by  the  pressures  for 
which  the  pipe  is  manufactured.  Thus" 
the  cost  varies,  but  each  clas.s  of  pipe  is 
made  amply  strong  for  the  pressure  for 
which  it  is  const.-ucted. 


This  pipe  ranges  in  diameter  irom  10  inches 
to  lOiect,  and  from  I  ft.  to  100  miles  in  one 
continuous  length  as  desired.  It  is  con- 
structed to  stand  pressures  ranging  from 
20  to  300  foot  head.  It  is  always  built 
continuous  and  m  place,  all  slaves,  bands 
and  other  material  being  delivered  to  the 
pipe  line  in  knock-down  form. 
The  staves  arc  milled  from  clear,  well- 
seasoned  or  kiln -dried,  rtdwood  or  fir. 
The  ends  of  the  staves  are  connected  by  a 
tongue  which  prevents  butt-joint  leakage. 
The  pipe  is  banded  with  individual  thread- 
ed round  steel  rods,  held  in  place  by  mal- 
leable or  cast-iron  shoes. 
In  requesting  ^jrices  on  this  class  of  pipe 
it  is  necessary  that  accurate  and  complete 
information  be  given,  as  all  prices  are 
based  upon  estimates  made  up  from  the 
information  furnished. 


PACIFIC  TANK  &  PIPE  CO. 


[  PortlanJ.  Oregon 


a  Sution,  Portland.  Ore 


Technical  journal  page,  well  formed  using  two  illustrations  in  opposite 
movement,  well  placed  holding  the.  attention  within  the  inclosing  form 
and  directing  the  eye  to  parts  of  the  individual  advertisement 


331 


332  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

Balance,  then,  is  the  principle  of  form  through  which  even 
circles  and  other  erratic  forms  may  be  distributed  through- 
out the  space  in  such  a  way  that  a  sequence  of  ideas  is  real- 
ized and  organization  is  simple  enough  for  the  reader  easily 
to  get  the  thought. 

Movement 

If  a  series  of  spots  is  arranged  along  a  line  and  the  atten- 
tion is  directed  to  one  of  these  spots,  it  instinctively  follows 
to  the  next,  the  next,  and  so  on  to  the  end  of  the  sequence. 
If  in  place  of  the  spots  a  line  is  drawn,  the  observer  is  still 
more  inclined  to  follow  the  line  to  its  limit.  If  the  spots 
change  from  the  horizontal  position  downward,  then  upward, 
we  find  ourselves  jumping  with  the  spots  but  continuing  our 
search  for  the  end  of  the  material  arranged.  The  effect  of 
this  is  seen  in  the  bunches  of  flowers  which  sometimes  appear 
on  the  side  walls  of  rooms  where  wall  paper  is  used.  It  is 
a  familiar  experience  to  hear  persons  speak  of  having  counted 
the  number  of  bunches  from  the  top  of  the  room  to  the  bot- 
tom, crosswise  between  windows,  diagonally  from  one  side  of 
the  space  to  the  other,  and  so  on,  showing  how  unconsciously 
one  is  led  in  any  moment  of  cessation  from  directed  thought 
to  compute  these  spots  until  interrupted  by  some  more  inter- 
esting object  presented  to  the  mind.  It  is  impossible  to  imag- 
ine the  amount  of  good  energy  that  goes  into  counting  wall 
paper  spots  in  one  day. 

One  often  sees  people  doing  the  same  thing  with  spots  in 
a  rug  pattern,  the  boards  of  a  floor,  bill-boards  in  the  field, 
and  in  \arious  and  sundry  ways  proving  that  the  eye  tends 
to  follow  lines  and  spots  extending  for  some  time  in  one 
direction  until  the  end  of  the  sequence  is  reached. 

The  creation  of  this  situation  is  brought  about  through  a 
principle  called  the  "  Principle  of  Movement."  This  term 
had  its  origin  in  the  word  action  or  motion,  which  is  the  term 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM 


333 


MENS     FALL     AND     WINTER     STYLES 


Calf  lace  boot,  English  last. 

low  heel,  brood  shank.  Hand 

made  $10  00 

Same  111  tan 


CM  lace  boot,  slisbtly  less 
conservative  than  the  Eng- 
lish last,  narrower  toe,  full- 
er extension.  $8  00 
Same  in  tan. 


J.  &   J.   SL.\TER 


NEW   YORK 


Tan  rnssia  lace,  medium  toe. 

New  model.  Medium  or  dark 

shade.    Hand  made.       $9.00 

Same  in  black. 


Tan  oil  grain  bluclier,  double 
sole,  leather  lined.  Com- 
fortable walking  boot  last. 
Regular  cut.  $8.00 

High  cut.  $9.00 


Well  balanced  placing  of   illustrations  type  bi-symmetrically  placed ; 
head  display  lines  too  weak 

applied  to  the  human  figure  in  any  position  in  which  absohite 
rest  is  not  the  idea.  The  position  of  the  figure  in  throwing 
a  ball,  jumping,  running,  etc.,  is  called  the  position  of  action. 
This  is  because  the  lines  of  the  figure  are  neither  strictly  ver- 
tical nor  strictly  horizontal  in  harmony  with  the  laws  of  grav- 


334  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

itation.  When  this  principle  of  motion  or  direction  is  cre- 
ated in  the  abstract  idea,  it  is  termed  movement.  Movement, 
then,  is  that  principle  which  leads  the  eye  consecutively 
through  the  parts  of  a  composition  or  a  design.  If  the  prin- 
ciple is  correctly  used,  the  reader  of  a  page,  a  card,  or  a  cover, 
sees  in  sequential  order  the  things  one  wishes  him  to  see, 
with  final  emphasis  upon  the  thing  desirable  to  see  last. 

Movement  is  used,  then,  to  point  out  the  things  in  adver- 
tising display  that  the  creator  of  the  display  wishes  particu- 
larly to  feature.  The  simplest  and  most  hackneyed  methods 
are  the  use  of  the  arrow  and  the  dart,  the  pointing  of  the 
finger,  etc.,  but  there  are  other  phases  to  be  reckoned  with. 
Objects  themselves  sometimes  terminate  in  the  height  of  a  line. 
Take  the  shoe,  for  an  example.  If  I  am  featuring  shoes  and 
use  the  cut  of  one  in  a  single  column  next  another  man's 
advertisement,  and  place  my  shoe  toward  the  bottom  of  my 
space  with  the  toe  out,  I  can  easily  point  the  toe  at  the  other 
man's  ad  in  such  a  way  that  he  alone  gets  the  benefit  of  my 
shoe  because  the  motion  directs  the  attention  to  his  copy 
material  instead  of  mine.  Any  other  illustration  may  be 
placed  in  such  a  way  that  the  same  results  obtain. 

^Movement  may  be  obtained  by  line,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
arrow;  by  a  sequence  of  spots,  like  the  use  of  small  illustra- 
tions one  after  the  other,  or  of  different  size  type  growing 
from  larger  to  smaller  or  vice  versa;  by  the  single  object, 
whose  very  form  indicates  line  or  direction ;  and  by  what 
is  known  as  gaze  movement,  which  is  a  very  important  phase 
in  relation  to  the  use  of  cuts.  It  often  happens  in  posters 
and  car  cards  that  the  figure  used  stands  or  sits  with  back 
toward  the  text  or  copy  and  faces  either  the  wall,  or  vacancy, 
or  another  man's  advertisement.  Manifestly  this  is  a  waste 
of  illustration  and  an  aid  to  the  other  man.  Instinctively  the 
observer  of  a  human  being  in  picture  form  is  interested  in 
what  that  picture  form  is  looking  at,  and  the  eyes  of  the  per- 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM 


335 


son  in  the  illustration  should  either  be  looking  at  the  observer 
or  at  the  thing  in  the  illustration  that  is  of  paramount  value. 
This  matter  of  gaze  movement  is  as  essential  as  any  other 
point  of  form,  if  not  more 
essential. 


Movement  Structural  or 
Rhythmic 

Movement  may  be  said  to 
be  either  structural  or  rhyth- 
mic. Structural  movement 
is  the  movement  in  which 
one  direction  comes  at  a 
sharp  angle  against  another 
direction.  This  always  forms 
a  juncture  point  where  the 
observer  is  bound  to  look. 
Draw  a  straight  line  on  a 
blank  paper  at  right  angles 
to  another  straight  line  until 
they  meet.  See  how  quickly 
the  eye  goes  to  the  meeting 
point.  In  creating  forms 
within  the  display  surface 
use  care  that  this  structural 
or  opposition  movement  does 
not  occur  except  at  such 
places  where  you  want  very 


Just  think  of  everything 
you've  ever  read  in  a  cloth- 
ing sale  advertisement  and 
apply  it  to  this  sale~we 
won't  disappoint  you. 
Here's  a  bunch  of  this  sea- 
son's suits—all  Al,  0.  K. 
and  99H%  pure~$5  cut  off 
the  price  of  $20  suits.  From 
$2.  to  $7.  cut  on  the  others. 


Showing  excellently  placed  matter 
and  vigorous  movement  connecting 
parts  of  display 


emphatically  to  focus  public 

attention.  The  other  type  of  movement,  known  as  rhythmic, 
is  that  movement  in  which  the  same  general  direction  is  indi- 
cated without  violent  opposition.  I  might  be  looking  at  and 
pointing  my  finger  at  the  same  thing.  These  movements  are 
rhythmic  with  each  other.     I  might  point  my  finger  or  look 


336  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

and  have  an  arrow  pointed  in  the  same  direction  with  these 
movements  crossing  each  other.  Rhythmic  movements  are 
accessories  each  of  the  other;  that  is,  one  repeating  or  empha- 
sizing exactly  the  same  idea  as  the  other;  while  movements  in 
opposition  conflict  at  a  certain  point  for  the  express  purpose 
of  creating  a  turmoil  so  that  all  may  see  that  particular 
point. 

Movement  is  the  exact  opposite  of  balance.  Balance  cre- 
ates rest,  repose,  formality,  dignity,  simplicity  and  clearness. 
Movement  creates  motion,  unrest,  informality,  complexity,  and 
often  destroys  clearness.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  in  the 
use  of  this  principle  as  a  test  of  arrangement  not  only  that 
it  be  clearly  understood  but  that  its  use  in  excess  be  dis- 
countenanced. Some  one  will  probably  say,  perhaps  using 
the  advertisements  of  spearmint  gum  as  an  argument,  that 
its  violent,  distracting  use  has  been  successful.  Possibly. 
But  that  is  no  proof  that  a  decent,  well-organized,  restrained, 
dignified  and  intelligent  use  of  motion  would  not  have  been 
equally  successful  had  this  been  used  in  place  of  what  has 
been  used.  Use  movement  temperately,  with  a  complete 
knowledge  of  why  and  where,  and  it  becomes  one  of  the 
strongest  factors  in  producing  the  sequence  desired  in  all 
effective  advertising  display. 

The  creation  of  the  sequence  of  ideas,  that  is,  deciding  upon 
the  most  important  thing  to  feature  and  then  correlating  with 
this  the  subordinate  ideas  in  the  order  of  their  importance, 
is  a  strong  feature  in  effective  display.  To  make  this  sequence 
clearer  the  principle  of  emphasis  or  stress  is  employed.  In 
conversation  importance  is  given  to  various  words,  phrases, 
or  sentences,  by  their  being  spoken  lower,  softer  or  slower, 
as  the  case  may  be.  In  music  this  effect  is  produced  by 
tempering  the  voice  or  instrument  in  much  the  same  manner. 
In  advertising  display  the  effect  is  procured,  but  by  different 
means. 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM 


337 


Emphasis 

Stress  or  emphasis  is  the  principle  of  arrangement  whereby 
the  attention  is  directed  to  particular  things  in  regular  order 
of  procedure. 

Emphasis  in  copy  may  be  produced  by  change  of  type, 
italics  being  the  change  usu- 
ally employed.  The  use  of 
italics  is  simply  traditional. 
As  a  matter  of  fact  it  does 
not  strengthen  —  it  weakens 
by  its  very  form.  But  weak- 
ening is  one  of  the  ways  of 
calling  attention  to  the  fact 
that  the  order  has  changed. 
The  same  effect  may  be  pro- 
duced by  underlining,  by 
writing  the  word  in  caps  or 
a  bolder  face,  or  any  other 
variations.  Many  times  it 
seems  best  to  use  the  under- 
line, or  caps,  or  some  other 
method  of  emphasizing  the 
idea  rather  than  eternally 
following  the  traditional 
italic  change.  This  form  of 
emphasis  is,  of  course,  a 
change  in  shapes. 

The  change  in  shape  of  the     ,^  ,        ,         . 

^  Movement  through  motion  and  gaze 

entire  display  is  another  way 

of  securing  emphasis.  If  we  have  been  following  the  struc- 
ture edge  quite  closely,  dropping  one  paragraph  below  another 
to  indicate  paragraph  change  while  the  edges  are  kept  straight 
at  right  and  left,  the  mere  act  of  indenting  one  whole  para- 
graph a  little  at  the  left  and  right  makes  a  change  in  order 


"Step  lively  please." 

It  will  pay  you  to  hurry  and 

select  before  the  assortment 

is  picked  over. 

Silk  shirts  of  the  $—  family 

now  $—  (not  many).     But 

a  plenty  of  the  fine  striped 

madras.     The    $2.50    kind 

now  $~ 

Silk  and  linen,  fine  as  silk 

and  durable  as  linen,  now 

$- 


338  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

and,  therefore,  secures  attention.  If  a  cut  or  ornament  is  of 
different  form  from  the  general  copy  outHne,  of  course  this 
emphasizes  the  erratic  object  at  once.  A  most  violent  illus- 
tration of  this  idea  would  be  the  changing  of  the  direction  of 
lines  of  type  from  horizontal  to  oblique.  This  is  an  impos- 
sible use  of  emphasis  except  in  case  of  extraordinary  emer- 
gency, as  it  creates  an  uncanny,  unstable,  unattractive  lay- 
out. 

Sometimes  an  effective  emphasis  may  be  had  by  changing 
the  size  of  type  or  contrasting  sizes  in  cuts.  This  contrast  of 
size  is  based  on  the  law  that  a  small  thing  seems  smaller  when 
compared  with  a  large  one  and  a  large  thing  larger  because 
of  its  comparison  with  a  smaller. 

.  Emphasis  of  color  or  tone  is  perhaps  the  most  frequent 
type  of  all.  In  colored  plates  emphasis  is  secured  through 
discreet  changes  in  hue,  value,  and  intensity,  one  or  two  of 
these  qualities  being  employed  to  produce  the  emphatic  idea. 
(The  terms  hue,  value  and  intensity  are  explained  in  the  next 
chapter. ) 

The  change  in  face  of  type  is  a  familiar  illustration  of  the 
use  of  color  value,  as  is  also  the  tendency  to  use  borders  in 
gray  and  tinted  gray  backgrounds,  with  cuts,  etc.  Perhaps 
there  is  no  better  illustration  of  the  emphasis  through  inten- 
sity than  that  seen  in  the  use  of  color  in  clothes.  A  man 
would  scarcely  think  of  wearing  a  brilliant  red  suit,  but  he 
might,  under  right  conditions,  chance  a  red  necktie,  the  tie 
by  its  intensity  and  placing  calling  attention  through  itself 
to  the  face  of  the  man  rather  than  his  feet.  Again,  the 
interior  wall  of  a  house  need  scarcely  appear  in  intense  red 
or  blue,  while  a  sofa  pillow  or  lamp  shade  or  a  bit  of  bric-a- 
brac  that  is  to  be  picked  out  as  a  single  idea  may  well  be 
clothed  in  an  emphatically  intense  color. 

If  the  scheme  of  a  room  is  almost  wholly  in  greens,  a  blue 
jar,  an  orange  rug,  a  yellow  lamp  shade,  easily  become  the 


THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  FORM  339 

only  things  noticed  in  the  room,  because  of  their  color  em- 
phasis. 

It  should  be  clear  that  in  the  use  of  color,  whether  it  be  hue, 
value  or  intensity,  there  must  be  a  pretty  clear  conception  in 
the  mind  of  the  user  as  to  what  he  wants  the  public  to  see, 
why  he  wants  them  to  see  it,  and  then  he  must  use  his  knowl- 
edge of  color  to  make  emphatic  the  right  things.  Much 
money,  time,  space,  physical  energy  and  mental  power  are 
wasted  through  the  lack  of  knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  man 
who  makes  the  layout  of  how  to  use  effectively  the  principle 
of  emphasis. 

It  has  been  the  purpose  of  this  section  to  show  the  power 
of  form  and  arrangement  in  creating  an  advertising  display 
which  by  its  qualities  should  appeal  naturally  to  the  reading 
public.  A  display  is  efficient  or  successful  when  the  money 
returns  satisfy  one,  but  there  is  a  certain  qualification  which 
comes  through  right  usage  that  must  not  be  overlooked.  In 
the  evolution  of  a  race  or  type  of  civilization  people  gradually 
learn  to  form  habits  out  of  instincts  which  make  them  in  time 
superior  to  most  brutes.  The  time  is  coming  when  any  con- 
structed thing  to  be  convincing  must  at  least  have  the  qualities 
of  organization,  simple  dignity,  sane  form  construction,  rest- 
ful formality  or  informality,  and  a  logical  intellectual  appeal. 
If  the  principles  of  form  are  studied,  sensed,  and  applied, 
they  contribute  to  this  end. 

It  must  be  clearly  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  no  one 
problem  in  any  field  can  be  successfully  solved  by  slavishly 
following  every  law  involved  in  its  solution.  To  follow  one 
principle  is  often  to  modify  another.  This  is  because  each 
principle  exists  to  create  positive  qualities.  It  is  often  de- 
sirable to  modify  these  qualities.  To  do  so  one  must  know 
the  law  of  modification  and  the  effect  of  it.  Let  no  man  then 
suppose  that  in  any  problem  he  can  follow  every  law  of  form 
and  be  most  effective.     On  the  other  hand,  let  him  not  think 


340  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

that  he  can  afford  to  ignore  any  principle  of  form  and  yet 
hope  to  reach  his  highest  degree  of  efficiency.  "  A  Httle 
knowledge  is  a  dangerous  thing,"  but  truth  is  permanent,  and 
intelhgence  in  the  use  of  truth  is  the  criterion  of  a  man's 
power. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

COLOR 

Source  and  Nature 

Color  is  light ;  it  exists  because  light  exists.  A*  light  fades 
at  night  or  in  a  stormy  day  colors  change  —  grow  duller, 
feebler ;  and  as  darkness  comes  they  disappear.  The  brighter 
the  day  the  brighter  the  color.  Many  simple  experiments 
prove  the  source  of  color  to  be  in  light. 

An  analysis  of  light  by  the  chemist  or  physicist  results  in 
three  elements,  each  of  which,  standing  by  itself,  may  con- 
vey an  idea;  but  the  confusion  of  this  scientific  division  of 
light  with  the  pictorial  idea  of  pigment  as  a  representation 
in  material  form  of  these  ideas  is  very  probable. 

The  term  pigment  may  be  applied  to  water  colors,  oils,  dye 
stuffs,  printers'  inks,  and  like  materials,  which  seem  to  give 
certain  color  tones  to  objects  upon  which  they  are  placed.  It 
is  extremely  important  that  one  realize  in  the  discussion  of 
color  from  the  standpoint  of  pigment  that  scientific  light  and 
color  pigment  are  two  things,  and  that  the  representation  of 
the  thing  may  have  another  name,  or  even,  perhaps,  a  slightly 
different  appearance  from  the  original  of  which  it  is  a  pic- 
ture.    This  is  because  of  limitation  in  materials. 

For  general  purposes  and  in  view  of  the  present  develop- 
ment of  the  pigment  idea  it  is  best  to  divide  pigment  study 
into  its  three  elements  —  yellow,  red  and  blue.  These  ele- 
ments of  pigment  fused  together  in  their  proper  ratio  pro- 
duce what  is  known  as  a  pure  neutral  gray.  This  neutral 
gray  has  no  apparent  color  in  it.  Each  of  the  elements  has 
destroyed  or  helped  to  destroy  the  individuality  of  the  other 

341 


342  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

two,  the  color  has  been  neutrahzed  or  annihilated,  and  neu- 
tral gray  is  the  result.  In  pure  light  the  union  of  the  three 
elements  produces  white.  With  pigments,  the  result  is  gray, 
because  of  the  sediment,  or  non-transparent  quality,  of  the 
pigment  itself.  The  proof  of  neutralization  or  composition 
is  there  because  of  the  neutral  gray  result. 

The  term  "  spectrum  "  has  been  given  to  these  three  ele- 
mentary tones  with  their  intermediate  steps,  as  will  be  seen 
later  on.  The  spectrum  circuit  has  these  tones  arranged  in 
circular  form. 

Spectrum  Colors  and  Their  Meaning 

Yellow,  red,  and  blue  are  called  primary  colors.  They  are 
primary  because  they  are  elemental;  that  is,  each  is  a  single 
thing  or  single  idea,  and  perhaps  may  seem  to  express  but  a 
single  quality. 

Yellow  expresses  light,  cheer,  vivacity,  pleasure.  This  is 
so  because  it  looks  nearest  like  the  sun,  the  moon,  or  artificial 
light.  The  beneficial  effect  of  the  sun  upon  plants  and  upon 
the  physical  welfare  of  human  beings  is  well  known.  The 
color  yellow  has  a  similar  effect,  because  of  the  mental  asso- 
ciation with  light  itself  and  the  effects  of  light  in  human 
experience.  This  color  brings  the  (jualities  of  light  and  cheer- 
fulness wherever  it  is  used  and  carries  those  qualities  in  dis- 
play as  a  method  of  creating  an  atmosphere  in  which  these 
are  prominent.  Experiment  has  been  made  in  dark  corri- 
dors and  inside  sleeping  rooms  and  it  has  been  found  that  yel- 
low wall  paper  and  hangings  produce  a  light,  cheerful  effect 
which  finds  an  immediate  reaction  in  the  occupants'  lives. 
Yellow  is  the  color  most  luminous,  therefore  most  penetrating. 
These  facts  should  be  borne  in  mind  in  choosing  color  for 
display  to  be  seen  in  moderately  dark  places  or  to  be  seen 
mostly  in  the  open  sunlight.  It  should  also  be  apparent  that 
yellow  can  be  used  to  express  individual  ideas  also. 


COLOR  343 

Red  is  the  color  of  human  interest.  It  looks  like  fire.  It 
is  that  which  stirs  human  action,  causes  the  blood  to  move 
more  rapidly,  thereby  exciting  to  greater  mental  activity, 
arousing  passion,  expressing  force,  and  kindling  the  feeling 
of  warmth.  It  is  called  a  "  hot  "  color  and  in  its  fullest  bril- 
liancy is  the  strongest,  the  most  irritating,  and  the  most  ag- 
gressive of  all  colors.  Civilized  women  with  some  rudiments 
of  good  taste  would  never  think  of  wearing  this  color  in  mid- 
July  under  the  hot  sun,  out  of  respect  for  their  fellow  men 
who  must  look  upon  it.  Why  should  the  advertising  man 
inflict  it  upon  the  general  public  in  huge  areas  in  public  places 
as  bill-board  backgrounds?  Why  use  an  acre  to  express  an 
idea  that  a  square  inch  will  adequately  tell  ? 

Blue  is  restraint,  is  almost  the  opposite  of  red  in  its  feeling. 
It  soothes,  constrains,  sometimes  almost  repels  —  because  of 
its  very  nature.  It  is  called  the  "  cold  "  color.  Sometimes 
the  so-called  steel  blue  gives  almost  the  sensation  of  freezing. 
Because  this  is  so  blue  expresses  its  own  idea  or  quality  which 
no  other  color  can  express  for  it. 

It  must  be  understood  that  these  colors,  being  elements, 
should  be  carefully  considered  before  any  of  their  modifica- 
tions are  thought  of,  in  the  same  way  that  the  elements  of 
any  language  should. 

If  equal  forces  of  yellow  and  red  are  combined,  orange 
is  the  result.  Equal  forces  of  yellow  and  blue  produce  green, 
while  like  forces  of  blue  and  red  produce  what  is  known  as 
violet  or  purple.  These  three  color  tones  are  called  binary 
colors  because  each  is  made  of  two  distinct  elements.  The 
binary  colors  have  a  double  significance.  Orange  is  light 
and  heat.  That  makes  a  conflagration  and  is  destructive  to 
public  consciousness  when  seen  in  large  quantities  misapplied. 
A  little  fire  is  a  good  thing,  but  a  big  one  may  do  much  dam- 
age. 

Green  is  light  and  coolness.     Nothing  is  more  agreeable. 


344  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

particularly  in  summer,  than  a  light,  cool  spot  in  a  heated 
car,  or  in  other  places  where  display  ideas  most  abound.  Do 
you  notice  that  the  grass  and  trees  are  green  when  the  sum- 
mer is  hot  and  that  the  sky  is  blue  ?  These  are  the  antidotes 
for  excessive  heat.  They  produce  upon  the  mind  qualities 
which  become  permanent  in  consciousness,  so  that  in  every 
generation  is  bred  the  feeling  of  a  quality  belonging  particu- 
larly to  each  color. 

Violet  or  purple  is  an  equal  union  of  fire,  or  coals  of  fire, 
and  coolness,  or  ice.  Ashes  must  result.  This  is  the  color 
which  is  used  to  express  shadow.  It  is  the  opposite  of  yellow, 
its  complement,  its  destroyer.  It  neutralizes  cheer,  dispels 
light,  creates  gloom,  brings  on  the  night.  This  quality  of 
feeling  has  been  associated  with  purple  for  many  ages.  Roy- 
alty uses  this  color  for  masquerading  all  that  it  needs  to 
masquerade;  the  church  to  express  the  ideas  of  mysticism, 
humility,  and  devotion.  The  modern  person  clothes  herself  in 
it  to  express  half  as  much  sorrow  as  she  felt  when  she  wore 
black  only.  The  use  of  this  color  bears  not  only  a  relation  to 
the  idea  to  be  expressed,  but  it  bears  a  relation  to  the  amount 
of  light  in  which  the  display  must  be  exposed. 

Color  Terms  Defined  —  Tone 

Perhaps  at  this  point,  for  the  sake  of  a  common  under- 
standing, it  is  well  to  define  some  terms  in  color  that  are 
inaccurately  used.  "  Tone "  is  the  term  which  applies  to 
any  color  note  whatsoever,  including  black,  white  and  gray. 
It  is  so  general  that  when  you  are  in  doubt  "  tone  "  is  per- 
fectly safe.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  word  should 
be  used  instead  of  "  shade,"  to  mean  anything  and  everything  in 
the  whole  realm  of  color  expression.  The  term  "  neutral  "  is 
applied  to  tones  in  which  no  color  is  apparent.  Black,  white 
and  gray  are  neutral.  Black  is  the  absence  of  color  and  white 
the  union  of  all  colors.     Black,  therefore,  absorbs  color,  while 


COLOR  345 

white  is  saturated  with  it  and  does  not.  This  is  the  reason 
why  white  as  a  background  shows  things  stronger  than  black, 
so  far  as  the  color  itself  is  concerned.  The  question  of  value, 
however,  may  change  this  effect,  as  will  be  seen  later  in  the  dis- 
cussion. 

Normal  colors  are  the  spectrum  colors  at  what  is  known  as 
their  maturity  point.  When  these  become  lighter  or  darker, 
change  their  hue  or  become  less  intense,  they  are  no  longer  nor- 
mal. This  standardization  of  the  normal  color  makes  it  pos- 
sible to  have  a  reckoning  point  in  all  color  tones  from  which  to 
compute  color  quality. 

A  shade  of  color  is  a  tone  which  is  darker  than  the  normal 
tone.  It  is  made  by  adding  black  or  a  darker  pigment  of  the 
same  color. 

A  tint  is  a  color  tone  which  is  lighter  than  the  normal  color. 
This  is  produced  by  adding  white  or  water.  The  tint  then  is 
weaker  than  the  normal  color,  because  it  is  diluted;  the  shade 
is  stronger  as  to  body  but  weaker  as  to  color  also,  because  it  is 
likewise  diluted.  The  normal  color  is  the  strongest  color  note 
possible  of  any  given  color. 

It  will  be  seen  that  red  and  blue  may  have  more  tints  than 
shades ;  that  yellow,  green  and  orange  have  more  shades  than 
tints;  that  yellow  has  more  shades  than  violet;  that  violet  has 
more  tints  than  yellow.  It  is  most  desirable  that  the  terms 
"  tint  "  and  "  shade  "  be  clearly  understood  and  that  these 
terms  be  not  misapplied.  Shade  indicates  the  normal  color 
going  towards  shadow  or  darkness  ;  tint  means  the  normal  color 
going  towards  light  or  whiteness. 

Every  color  tone  has  three  distinct  qualities.  It  is  some- 
what difficult  to  see  these  qualities  each  distinct  from  the  other, 
but  the  full  force  of  color  cannot  be  understood  until  this  is 
done.  This  is  because  contrasts  in  the  use  of  these  qualities 
are  the  real  power  of  color  whereby  the  intensity  of  the  idea 
expressed  is  varied. 


346  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

Hue 

The  first  of  these  qualities  is  known  as  hue.  This  is  the 
general  name  given  to  the  change  which  a  color  undergoes  in 
moving  from  one  binary  in  either  direction  towards  a  primary. 
All  of  the  possible  tones  which  are  produced  by  putting  a 
primary  into  a  binary  are  the  hues  of  that  binary  color.  Let  us 
illustrate. 

The  color  orange  is  a  fixed  fact.  It  is  made  by  putting  yel- 
low and  red  together  in  equal  force.  As  soon  as  I  begin  to 
put  yellow  into  red,  red  changes  and  moves  toward  yellow. 
Any  tone  which  is  produced  before  the  red  becomes  a  pure 
orange  is  known  as  red  orange.  It  is  orange  as  soon  as  it 
leaves  red.  It  is  red  orange  because  there  is  more  red  in  it 
than  yellow.  On  the  other  hand,  if  I  begin  by  putting  red 
into  yellow,  the  color  becomes  orange  as  soon  as  it  leaves  yel- 
low, but  it  is  yellow  orange  all  the  way  until  it  reaches  orange. 
It  is  yellow  orange  because  there  is  more  yellow  present  than 
red.  When  these  forces  become  equalized  it  becomes  normal 
orange. 

If  I  start  with  yellow  and  blue,  putting  yellow  into  blue,  the 
color  becomes  green  instantly  it  leaves  pure  blue.  As  long  as 
it  is  more  blue  than  yellow  it  is  blue  green.  When  the  forces 
are  equalized  it  is  green.  The  moment  there  is  more  yellow 
than  blue  the  tone  is  yellow  green  and  so  remains  until  no  blue 
is  present,  when  once  again  it  appears  to  the  eye  as  normal 
yellow. 

In  the  same  way,  if  red  is  put  into  blue  the  color  becomes 
violet  with  a  preponderance  of  blue.  This  is  blue  violet  until 
the  point  violet  is  reached.  When  more  red  is  present  than 
blue  the  tone  is  red  violet,  until  no  blue  remains;  then  the  color 
tone  is  normal  red.  These  intermediate  tones  on  either  side  of 
a  binary  color,  before  the  color  reaches  the  primary  stage,  are 
known  as  hues.  The  hues  are  yellow  orange,  red  orange,  red 
violet,  blue  violet,  blue  green  and  yellow  green,  and  there  may 


COLOR  347 

be  as  many  of  them  as  the  eye  detects  in  the  introduction  of 
one  color  into  the  other. 

Value 

The  second  color  quality  is  known  as  "  value."  Value  is 
the  light  and  dark  in  color ;  that  is,  the  proportion  of  white  or 
of  black,  without  relation  to  the  color  intensity  itself.  Refer- 
ence to  a  color  chart  will  show  that  green  is  lighter  or  nearer 
white  than  violet  or  red,  that  normal  blue  is  darker  or  nearer 
black  than  orange  or  yellow.  To  take  value  and  separate  it 
from  intensity  is  to  understand  how  to  produce  color  con- 
trasts which  are  most  effective  and  most  efficient  in  conveying 
ideas  in  their  strongest  ways.  A  color  may  have  as  many 
value  steps  as  can  be  detected  between  white  and  black;  but, 
for  convenience  sake,  we  usually  scale  a  color  into  nine  steps, 
called  white,  high  light,  light,  low  light,  middle,  high  dark, 
dark,  low  dark,  black.  This  division  makes  it  possible  to  see 
colors  in  their  value  relations.  To  judge  them  accurately  we 
must  partially  close  the  eyes  and  try  to  eliminate  the  color  from 
them  and  see  them  as  grays  instead  of  as  colors. 

Intensity 

The  third  quality  of  color,  and  perhaps  the  most  important 
quality  for  the  advertising  field,  is  known  as  intensity,  or  bril- 
liancy. Intensity  in  color  is  that  quality  of  selfness  or  person- 
ality which  names  it.  When  a  red  is  as  red  as  it  can  be  got,  it 
is  in  its  fullest  intensity.  As  soon  as  it  is  weakened  in  any  way 
it  loses  some  of  that  quality.  Intensity  is  the  quality  which 
gives  power,  individuality  and  personal  appeal.  It  is  the  qual- 
ity which  is  most  abused,  least  understood,  and  most  prodigally 
exploited. 

Yellow  and  violet,  blue  and  orange,  red  and  green,  are  said 
to  be  complementary  colors.  They  are  called  complementary 
because  each  has  the  power  to  neutralize  or  destroy  the  other. 


348  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

Put  red  into  green  and  the  green  begins  to  lose  itself,  becomes 
softer,  grayer,  less  ferocious,  tamer,  and  more  usable  in  large 
quantities.  Put  green  into  red  and  the  same  effect  is  seen. 
Orange  neutralizes  or  softens  blue,  and  blue  produces  a  like 
effect  upon  orange.  Purple  neutralizes  yellow  and  yellow, 
purple.  This  is  a  fundamental  fact  in  choice  of  colors  in  har- 
mony and  also  a  fundamental  fact  in  the  use  of  any  colors  in 
backgrounds  and  objects  to  be  shown  against  them. 

When  a  color  has  lost  half  its  force  or  strength,  it  is  said  to 
be  half  neutralized,  that  is,  half  as  powerful  or  aggressive  as 
the  normal  color.  Full  intense,  normal  colors  are  the  most 
primitive,  childish,  strongest,  crudest,  and  most  elementary  ex- 
pressions of  color  ideas.  Neutralized  colors  are  softer,  more 
refined,  more  subtle,  soothing,  livable.  These  quality  effects 
are  important  in  our  further  discussion.  As  has  been  said,  it 
is  absolutely  important  to  realize  each  of  these  qualities  as  dis- 
tinct from  each  of  the  others;  that  one  may  make  use  of  con- 
trasts and  likenesses  in  his  choice  and  arrangement  of  color  in 
any  form  of  display  in  which  color  is  a  factor  of  expression. 

Harmony 

Harmony  is  concord.  It  is  the  relationship  of  agreement  in 
regard  to  certain  qualities  possessed  by  objects  or  things. 
Musical  composition  is  based  upon  the  scientific  laws  of  these 
relationships.  Sound,  being  produced  by  vibrations,  has  been 
scaled  and  each  tone  standardized,  so  that  the  selection  of  tones 
based  on  relationship  makes  the  study  of  harmony  a  compara- 
tively easy  task.  Violate  these  relationships  and  harmony  is 
destroyed.  Color  is  produced  by  the  vibrations  of  light  and 
the  tonal  impressions  of  consciousness  through  the  sense  of 
sight,  in  the  same  way  as  the  tonal  impressions  of  sound  enter 
it  through  the  sense  of  hearing.  Less  attention  has  been  paid 
to  the  standardization  of  color  tones  than  to  that  of  sound 
tones,  but  enough  has  been  done  to  give  an  approximatelv  clear 


COLOR  349 

idea  of  what  the  Hne  of  development  will  be  and  the  qualities 
upon  which  harmony  in  this  realm  depends. 

Qualities  of  Likeness 

In  the  development  of  color  harmony  it  is  necessary  to  con- 
sider two  sets  of  equalities:  first,  the  qualities  of  likeness;  and, 
second,  those  of  contrast.  Color  harmonies  are  based  on  these 
two  sets  of  ideas.  From  the  spectrum  circuit  it  will  be  seen 
that  green  —  which  is  half  yellow  and  half  blue  —  is  by  nature 
of  its  composition  half  related  to  each,  as  orange  is  to  yellow 
and  red,  as  violet  is  to  red  and  blue.  This  establishes  a  rela- 
tionship called  a  relationship  of  family  likeness.  Into  green 
two  of  the  three  primary  elements  enter.  These  two  elements 
are  found  also  in  yellow  green  and  blue  green,  although  in 
different  proportion.  This  makes  yellow,  yellow  green,  blue 
and  blue  green  a  family  harmony,  a  harmony  of  likeness,  or,  as 
it  is  sometimes  called,  an  analogous  harmony.  Blue,  blue 
green,  green  and  yellow  green  are  also  a  family  group,  but  yel- 
low, which  is  an  element,  is  not  found  in  blue.  Yellow,  yellow 
orange,  orange,  and  red  orange  form  a  group ;  red,  red  orange, 
orange,  and  yellow  orange  another.  About  violet  two  other 
groups  are  formed.  The  first  includes  red,  red  violet,  violet 
and  blue  violet ;  the  second  blue,  blue  violet,  yellow  violet,  and 
red  violet.  One  of  these  sets,  or  any  two  or  more  of  one  of 
these  sets,  will  form  a  related  harmony.  By  the  nature  of 
their  composition  these  colors,  whether  in  their  full  intensity  or 
otherwise,  are  more  or  less  related  to  begin  with ;  in  some 
cases  the  relation  is  closer  than  in  others,  but  all  have  common 
elements. 

It  will  perhaps  be  noted  that  while  yellow,  yellow  green, 
green,  and  l)lue  green  form  a  family,  yellow  orange  —  which 
is  nearer  to  yellow  than  blue  green  —  is  not  included  in  this 
family.  This  is  because  yellow  orange  introduces  red.  which 
is  the  third  of  the  three  elementarv  colors.     The  combination 


350  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

of  yellow  orange  and  yellow  green  in  their  full  intensity,  or  of 
red  violet  and  red  orange,  or  of  blue  green  and  blue  violet,  is 
not  possible  in  these  family  groups.  The  law  of  selection  is 
that  in  selecting  the  analogous  scheme  the  primary  color  must 
not  be  crossed.  When  this  is  understood  a  reason  is  seen  for 
the  bad  combination  made  when  so-called  crimson  and  scarlet 
—  that  is  red  violet  and  red  orange  —  or  when  blue  green  and 
blue  violet  chance  to  enter  the  same  combination  in  juxtaposi- 
tion to  each  other.  Nothing  is  more  unpleasant  than  scarlet 
and  crimson  combined,  nor  more  impossible,  particularly  in 
intense  colors. 

Qualities  of  Contrast 

The  harmony  of  contrasts  starts  with  an  entirely  different 
premise.  It  will  be  remembered  that  violet  and  yellow,  red 
and  green,  orange  and  blue,  are  complementary  colors,  that 
these  colors  are  complementary  because  no  part  of  one  is  found 
in  the  composition  of  the  other.  Take,  for  instance,  blue  and 
orange.  Orange  is  made  of  red  and  yellow  in  equal  force. 
These  two  primary  colors  leave  but  one  unused,  namely,  blue. 
Blue  mixed  with  orange  produces  a  neutral  gray,  as,  in  fact, 
does  violet  mixed  with  yellow,  or  green  mixed  with  red.  The 
reason  in  each  case  is  the  same.  The  three  primary  colors  are 
combined  in  equal  force  and  each  is  destroyed.  The  destruc- 
tion of  each  is  the  proof  that  they  are  complementaries.  If 
any  apparent  color  remains  in  the  gray,  the  colors  are  not  true 
complements. 

It  must  be  distinctly  borne  in  mind  in  this  connection 
that  many  of  the  manufactured  pigments  have  not  been  made 
with  a  sufficiently  scientific  understanding  to  produce  absolute 
complemen^tary  relationships.  This  is  perhaps  more  true  of 
printing  inks  than  it  is  in  any  other  field  of  pigment  relation- 
ships. Inks  should  always  be  based  on  some  scientific  knowl- 
edge  of   tone   production.     If   they   were,    the   necessity    for 


INERS 


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Illustration  showing  a  right  relation  of  intense  color  to  its  background  in 
position,  but  exaggerated  in  proportion. 


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Illustration  showing  wrong  use  of  an  intense  color  in  relation  to  copy. 


COLOR  351 

drawing  or  touching  up  any  reproduction  would  be  entirely 
overcome. 

Orange  and  blue  in  their  fullest  intensity  are  inharmonious 
in  fact,  but  the  choice  is  the  basis  for  producing  a  harmony  in 
the  following  manner.  The  introduction  of  blue  into  orange 
is  made,  and  of  orange  into  blue,  until  each  color  reaches  the 
half  neutral  point.  These  colors  are  harmonious  at  this  point. 
A  certain  area  of  full  intense  blue  may  be  used  with  a  larger 
area  of  half  neutralized  orange,  or  vice  versa.  If  one  of  the 
colors  is  further  neutralized,  a  larger  area  of  the  complement 
may  be  used  in  a  more  intense  form.  The  harmony  relation- 
ship lies  in  the  "  keying  "  of  one  color  into  the  other  to  produce 
elements  of  likeness.  The  more  the  colors  are  keyed,  the 
closer  and  more  symphonic  becomes  the  harmony ;  the  less  they 
are  keyed,  the  more  dispersed  and  cruder  the  harmony.  When 
the  full  intense  colors  are  reached  on  both  sides  with  no  tones 
of  neutralized  color,  or  pure  neutrals,  harmony  is  destroyed. 
Full,  intense,  complementary  colors  may  never  be  used  touch- 
ing each  other.  If,  as  in  the  case  of  stained  glass,  such  tones 
are  used,  they  must  be  separated  by  strong  bands  of  a  neutral. 

These  two  methods  of  producing  color  harmony  are  suf- 
ficient for  general  use. 

Law  of  Backgrounds 

This  idea  of  neutralization  is  perhaps  the  most  important  law 
of  color  choice  in  any  field  of  expression.  A  wall  paper  that 
is  more  than  half  intense  destroys  the  possibility  of  seeing 
people,  furniture  or  pictures  in  anything  like  a  fair  relation- 
ship to  the  background  or  to  adjacent  objects.  The  average 
person,  with  average  color  of  skin,  can  ill  afford  to  wear  a 
suit  of  contrasting  color  in  its  full  intensity.  It  is  as  absurd 
to  try  to  show  cuts,  ornament,  copy,  and  the  like,  upon  a  full 
intense  background.  The  background  upon  which  objects  are 
to  be  shown  is  not  the  important  thing,  or  it  would  have  had 


352  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

another  name  than  background.  The  senseless  waste  of  color 
on  the  plea  that  it  is  necessary  to  attract  attention  is  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  known  law  in  any  other  field  of  color  use. 
Far  away  hills  seem  to  be  less  intense  in  color  than  the  flowers 
and  grass  under  one's  very  feet.  Probably  the  difference 
would  disappear  if  one  had  them  actually  under  his  feet  also. 
The  general  law  of  background  may  be  stated  thus :  Back- 
grounds should  always  be  less  intense  than  objects  shown  upon 
them.  This  is  to  give  the  objects  at  least  a  fair  chance  to 
assert  themselves  for  what  they  may  be  worth. 

Closely  associated  with  this  may  be  the  corollary,  "  the 
larger  the  area  in  any  design  the  less  intense  the  color  should 
be,"  and  conversely,  "  the  smaller  the  area  the  more  intense 
the  color  may  be."  It  is  not  the  background  of  the  out-of-door 
sign,  or  car  card,  or  the  catalogue  cover,  that  demands  full  in- 
tense color;  it  is  the  objects  or  facts  which  are  to  be  presented 
on  this  background  that  should  receive  the  strength  which  pure 
color  contains.  Catalogue  covers  and  book  covers,  car  cards, 
and  bill-boards,  show  perhaps  the  most  violently  bad  taste  in 
this  regard  of  any  form  of  expression  used. 

Upon  the  qualities  of  color  we  must  depend,  then,  for  our 
intelligent  choice  of  color  as  a  vehicle  of  expression.  It  has 
been  seen  that  each  fundamental  tone  in  the  spectrum  Is  meant 
to  convey  a  set  cvf  special  ideas  or  qualities,  that  the  presenta- 
tion of  these  colors  should  arouse  the  feeling  for  these  qualities 
in  consciousness,  the  same  as  color  tones  arouse  conscious  qual- 
ity feelings.  If  intelligent  choice  were  adopted  in  every  field, 
general  comprehension  of  the  significance  of  colors  would  come 
within  a  generation.  It  is  valuable  then  —  yes,  essential  — 
that  advertising  recognize  the  power  of  individual  color  in 
quality  expression. 

It  has  been  seen  that  diluted  colors,  or  tints,  possess  less 
strength,  more  playfulness,  youth,  instability,  than  shades  or 
darker  tones.     This  fact  makes  it  possible  to  select  such  color 


COLOR  353 

relations  as  will  convey  the  quality  idea  which  the  advertised 
article  purports  to  possess. 

The  relating  of  objects  of  whatever  nature  to  the  back- 
ground idea  is  the  third  important  truth  to  realize  from  color 
quality. 

Each  quality  in  color  makes  it  possible  to  choose  two  tones 
with  wide  or  close  contrasts,  as  the  case  may  be.  If  one 
will  study  these  possibilities,  crude  color  combinations  will 
disappear.  For  example,  one  will  choose  normal  yellow  at 
high  light,  in  full  intensity,  and  half  neutral  violet  at  low  dark, 
in  one-fourth  intensity.  This  is  terrific  in  its  contrast.  Its 
value  contrast  is  almost  as  great  as  can  be  obtained.  Its  con- 
trast in  hue  has  the  widest  range,  the  colors  being  complements 
of  each  other.  The  intensities  are  forced  apart,  one  being  full 
and  the  other  but  one-fourth.  It  very  seldom  happens,  except 
under  very  abnormal  conditions,  that  one  needs  to  use  violent 
contrasts  between  each  of  the  three  qualities  which  color  tones 
possess. 

Even  as  brief  a  discussion  as  this  of  color  should  place  it  in 
the  mind  of  the  reader  among  the  most  important,  even  the 
most  interesting,  of  all  the  elements  possible  in  conveying 
ideas.  Color  makes  an  appeal  to  everybody  who  sees  it.  It  is 
natural  that  it  should  be  so,  because  the  eye,  or  sense  of  sight, 
recognizes  color  immediately 


CHAPTER  XXV 

ILLUSTRATION 

The  Place  of  Pictures  in  Advertising 

The  term  "  ilkistration  "  is  broad  in  its  significance.  Some 
persons  understand  facts  and  qualities  easily  and  clearly 
through  their  description  in  words.  To  others  words  are 
almost  meaningless  symbols,  and  seem  to  convey  little  or  no 
idea  unless  accompanied  by  some  supplementary  method  of 
human  expression.  We  find  persons  who  respond  to  panto- 
mime activity  easily  without  word  accompaniment.  Others 
sense  the  meaning  of  musical  composition  more  acutely  without 
word  or  action.  To  some  people  all  three  are  essential  to  any 
conception  of  the  meaning  of  either. 

Pictures  are  a  common  language.  The  world  over,  where 
words  from  one  language  mean  nothing  to  persons  speaking 
another,  pictures  convey  to  all  persons,  in  a  quite  similar  way. 
detailed  facts  of  thought,  action,  and  effect.  The  pictorial 
expressions  of  the  Chinese  or  Japanese,  while  differing  in  al- 
most every  essential  from  occidental  types,  convey  to  us  some- 
thing of  the  idea  intended.  So  do  ours  to  them.  In  occi- 
dental consciousness  pictures  mean  much  the  same  thing  in 
their  elementary  fact  and  quality  expressions.  In  the  finer 
sense  of  esthetic  relationships,  of  course,  this  is  not  true. 

Because  of  these  facts  illustrations  have  come  to  be  a  very 
important  normal  and  natural  adjunct  to  advertising  display 
language.  Their  use  and  abuse  is  a  matter  of  common  specu- 
lation with  everybody  and  a  matter  in  which  men  interested  in 
the  scientific  development  of  this  subject  are  taking  an  acute 
interest.     Just  when  to  illustrate  and  when  not  to,  just  how 


ILLUSTRATION 


355 


much  space  may  be  given  to  this  form  of  language,  under  gen- 
eral conditions  and  specific  ones,  just  what  types  of  illustration 
make  certain  kinds  of  ap- 
peal, just  what  treatment 
they  permit  in  order  to  be 
most  efficient,  these  and 
many  other  questions  are 
daily  argued  and  daily  ex- 
perimented with. 

Illustrations  may  be  said 
to  include  line  drawings, 
wash  drawings,  photographs, 
prints,  posters,  naturalistic 
paintings,  and  all  those 
things  which  approach  the 
pictorial  idea.  The  very 
term  illustration  implies  that 
these  forms  have  something 
to  say.  Just  what  they  have 
to  say  and  what  they  do  say 
may  not  always  be  clearly 
apparent. 


The    Functions    of   Illustra- 
tion 

The  first  function  of  the 
illustration  proper  is  to  sup- 
plement, make  stronger, 
clearer,  or  more  attractive, 
something  which  the  copy 
fails  to  present  successfully. 
This,  of  course,  gives  a  basis, 
and  a  fundamental  one.  for 
field.     Perhaps  the  problem 


Only 
5  Days 

Left 


Big    Wartime    Pizmo    Sale 

THE  BOTTOM  HAS  DROPPED  OUT  OF  PIANO  PRICES 


SPECIAL 

HMPUyw               $227 
U  Va  Week 

Victrola  Speciil' 
JS3.50__  _ 

it:::^::    $63 

CukOnIr 

WHen  We  S«7  "Hunr,"  It  Ii  (or  Tom  Own  Good 


Hallet  &  Davis  Piano  Store 


Too  many  illustrations,  destructive 
placings,  badly  cut  up  copy  and  gen- 
eral chaos 


classification  in  the  illustration 
is  the  exploitation  of  hose.     A 


356 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


certain  firm  gives  half  of  its  car  card  space  to  the  face,  bust, 
or  figure,  of  what  they  presume  to  be  a  pretty  girl.  Perhaps 
she  was  before  they  treated  her  to  the  car  card  reproduction 
process;  she  is  not  always  so  after  the  process.     When  asked 

what  is  the  object  of  this 
head  or  bust,  the  reply  gen- 
erally is  — "  to  attract  atten- 
tion," or  "  a  pretty  woman 
gets  the  public,"  or  "  every- 
body is  interested  in  a  pretty 
woman.''  Every  one  of  these 
answers  defeats  the  end  of 
the  illustration  in  itself.  The 
classification  based  on  these 
ideas  may  be  said  to  be  rele- 
vant and  irrelevant.  In  the 
first  place,  if  the  pretty  wom- 
an is  used  to  get  the  public 

Excellently   balanced   and    showing     attention      the      device      haS 


NEWBRO'S  HERPICIDE 

Tbc  OrigiaaJ  Gem-Rcmcdjr  for  Daodmff. 
MdtM  kur  Mft  aod  flaffjr.     Stops  itching  of  the  icalp. 

DON'T    BLAME    YOUR    MIRROR 

Many  Udics 


^ 


HumxwuwEn 


pel  thuir  mirrors  to  be»r 
•ilent  witD«3>  to  ne«dle3S  hair  destruction. 
Day  after  day  they  s«c  beauty  and  atlrac- 
Iiveness  despoiled  by  the  removal  of  ffreat 
combfuls  oi  slightly  dueased  hair  tbat 
could  be  saved.  U  your  mirror  could  talk 
it  would  plead  with  you  to  "save  your 
hair — not  the  combings."  It  can  be  done 
with  Newbro's  Herpicide  which  eradicates 
the  contafion  that  causes  dull,  brittle  and 
hjsterlest  hair,  also  dandruff  and  fallinE 
hair.  Correct  this  and  the  bair's  natural 
luster  and  abundance  »ill  return.  Almost 
extraordinary     resulu.     An    exquisite    hair 

Send  10  cenlf  In  atamps  to  The  Herpicide 
Company.  DrpL  107  B.  Detroit.  Michigan,  for 
■ample  and  booklet. 

Tw«  Size*— SO  renis  and  SI  .00.     Sold  and 
guaranteed  at  all  Toilet  Good^  Counters. 
When  you  rati  (or  Hcrpitide.  do  not  accept  a 
aubsliUlc.    Applkatlonsat  promir 
Shopa. 


I  Barber 


how    by    attractive    placing    repellent     f^jj^j   -^^   ^  ^  percentage 

illustrations  seem  to  be  almost  good  i  ,  ,• 

of  cases  to  get  the  public  at- 
tention to  the  thing  for  which  the  display  exists,  namely,  hose. 
In  the  second  place,  if  the  "  pretty  woman  gets  the  public  "  and 
the  public  is  got,  the  chances  are  that  the  public  is  not  thinking 
about  hose  or  the  qualities  which  this  particular  hosiery  wishes 
to  exploit.  If,  in  the  third  place,  "  everybody  is  interested  in  a 
pretty  woman,"  they  are  not  so  because  she  wears  any  kind  of 
hosiery  in  particular,  or  because  she  wears  any  hosiery  at  all, 
and  the  possibility  of  creating  a  set  of  associated  ideas  on  the 
hosiery  question  is  very  remote  in  this  type  of  illustration. 
One  should  refer  to  his  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  attention, 
interest,  association,  and  the  ideas  of  apperception  to  judge  the 
relevancy  of  an  illustration  of  this  type. 

Whenever  a  set  of  ideas  is  set  in  motion  by  suggestion  and 


ZA  NASI  5AM05TATN05TI 

HRRNAVRAHA! 


ZADEMOKRACII! 

CESK05L0VENSKA  ARMADA 

This  illustrates  the  use  of  one  intense  color  on  a  neutral  b^ickground, 
with  a  strictly  decorative  technique  in  form,  line,  and  color.  The  color 
appeal  is  strengthened  by  the  decorative  appeal.  Attention  is  called  to 
the  fact  that  the  message  of  realism  is  in  no  wise  weakened  by  the  sub- 
stitution of  the  decorative  for  the  naturalistic  treatment  and  that  the 
former  is  simpler  and  more  direct. 


ILLUSTRATION 


357 


The  drawers  aie 
on  ball-bearing' slides 


urged  to  continue  by  further  suggestion,  the  probability  of 
changing  the  association  or  forming  a  new  one  with  an  entirely 
new  set  of  ideas  seems  absurd.  More  time,  space,  money, 
and  mental  effort  are  spent  in  the  sentimental  viewpoint  of  the 
pretty  picture,  particularly 


of  the  pretty  girl,  than 
one  can  afford  to  spend  in 
illustration  as  an  efficient 
factor  in  advertising  dis- 
play. Whenever  there  is 
a  question  in  the  mind  of 
the  user  as  to  whether  an 
illustration  is  absolutely 
relevant  to  the  idea  he  is 
exploiting  he  should  ask 
himself  — "  For  what  am 
I  using  this  illustration? 
—  Can  I  afford  for  the 
sake  of  public  attention 
to  interest  the  public  in 
something  which  is  en- 
tirely foreign  to  the  thing 
I  wish  them  to  consider?  " 
If  our  plea  is  human  in- 
terest, the  only  possible 
connection  can  be  the  fact 
that   if  one  arouses  pity. 


t«t  a*  thnr  jn  a  brasd-aew  Ilea  In  itul 
filing  ctblnets — a  paHected  elide  whlcb  per- 
mit! t&«  drawers  to  be  pulled  out  and  puahed 
la  with  little  effort  and  lets  boIm. 
It  does  Its  work  astomsblngl^  well.  Drawen 
may  be  chock-a-block  with  papers  that  weigb 
■  bundrcd  pounds,  jet  out  thej  come  and  In 
they  go  without  sagging,  sticking  or  banging. 
Other  things  which  we  should  like  you  to 
uamiM  art  I 

Steel  card  caMseta. 

Btsct  counter  units — combloitloas  of  card 

snd  filing  cablosta  forming  a  perlec^'y 

practicable  counter. 
Ctsel    storage    slielTtng— for    vaoltj    and 

storerooma. 
Steel  record  lafea — for  booalag  te<]ger«,  etc 

Please  don't  tell  us,  •*!  am  not  Id  the  market 
(or  aay  offlco  equipment  at  present. "  YOU 
WILL  BS,  SOON 


Library  Burean 


Car^  aa4  miaa  tTitfins.    UdIt  cablneia  in  wood  and  at««L 

Hi  Broadway,  New  York 


Suggestive  treatment  of  illustra- 
tion, emphasizing  only  one  feature 
described 


or  admiration,  or  affection,  in  the  mind  of  the  obsener,  he 
may  consider  him  in  a  better  state  of  mind  to  open  his  pocket- 
book  without  question.  This  is  the  only  possible  argument, 
it  seems,  for  such  illustration  waste. 

Thousands  of  cases  may  be  cited  all  over  the  country  in 
which  this  almost  illiterate  and  childish  admiration  of  pictures 
has  led  great  manufacturing  firms  to  expend  millions  on  useless 


358 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


stuff.  Granting  that  the  firm  has  in  some  cases  lound  these 
advertisements  to  yield  a  satisfactory  result,  there  is  no  proof 
that  even  a  better  result  would  not  have  been  yielded  had  they 
been  omitted.     There  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  a  higher 

state  of  public  appreciation 
would  long  ago  have  been 
reached  if  this  sort  of  thing 
in  car  cards,  catalogues, 
magazines,  and  calendars  in 
the  country  had  been  ta- 
booed, as  any  other  useless 
waste  and  pernicious  ten- 
dency has  been  treated. 


Our  interett-bearing  Certificates  of 
Deposit  arq,  a  good  "temporary  in* 
vestment" 

While  a  good  opportunity  for 
safe  and  profitable  permanent  in- 
vestment is  awaited,  money  can 
be  earning  interest  at  a  fair 
rate  and  be  perfectly  safe — by 
placing  it  with  us  on  Certificates 
of  Deposit.  The  money  will  be 
subject  to  demand,  or  payable  at 
a  convenient  future  date. 

C«ir  upon  oqr  Dflrvn  or  writ*  to  th«m  1m 
fartbcrtnfoffnationonlhii  Biibitct  or  In  ite»rA 
to  tnj  bsnldnc  or  mist  bMtlilns  jot>  m»j  luvo 

Bankcrs  Trust  Company 

1«  W«U  Str^l,  Now  Yock  Ctr 
CwU>I,  Sig^OOOOOO    SwvKt*.  tl(M>OOXXM 


Showing  l)adly  placed  illustration, 
unbalancing  page 


Naturalistic  Illustration 

A  further  classification  of 
illustrations  seems  to  be  ad- 
visable at  this  point.  Pic- 
tures should  convey  facts  as  to  form,  shape  and  action,  and 
they  should  also  convey  ideas  of  certain  qualities  which  may 
be  classed  quite  apart  from  the  idea  of  facts.  This  refers  to 
such  qualities  as  refinement,  strength,  dignity,  frivolity,  firm- 
ness, and  the  like,  as  well  as  the  quality  of  pleasure  which  is 
aroused  by  a  sense  of  esthetic  relationships. 

The  picture  that  is  like  an  old-time  photograph,  seeking  in  its 
idea  to  reproduce  with  positive  accuracy  the  smallest  facts  of 
detail,  important  and  unimportant,  is  called  naturalistic  treat- 
ment. This  naturalistic  treatment  in  pictures  may  be  com- 
pared to  the  realistic  epoch  of  acting  in  which  the  drama  sought 
to  portray  in  the  most  realistic  way  every  fact  connected  with 
the  birth,  growth,  and  maturity  of  the  plot.  The  old-time 
audience  listened  in  martyred  complacency  while  realism,  with 
all  its  joys  and  horrors,  was  told  in  the  most  naturalistic  pos- 
sible manner  before  their  eyes.     In  modern  times  this  seems 


ILLUSTRATION 


359 


childish  and  ludicrous.  Only  the  most  flagrantly  ignorant  de- 
sire to  have  the  bold  truth  with  all  its  actual  details  of  setting. 
The  public  is  imaginative  —  it  has  rudiments  at  least  of  intel- 
lect, it  desires  to  judge  for  itself,  mentally  to  create  something, 
to  let  imagination  play  some  part  in  creation.  The  suggestion 
is  all  the  public  wants  now  in  plays,  problematical  as  they  are. 
This  is  the  modern  state  of  consciousness.  It  appears  in  lit- 
erature, on  the  stage,  in  music.  It  must  appear  in  one's  judg- 
ment of  pictures. 

To  a  student  familiar  with  the  history  of  painting,  even 
casually,  there  is  a  great  lesson  to  be  learned  in  this  regard. 
Epochs  of  painting  that 
produced  masterpieces  are 
not  those  that  produced 
in  each  masterpiece  every 
technical  fact.  The  more 
realistic  a  school  may  grow, 
the  softer  and  more  ephem- 
eral become  its  types  and 
the  less  decorative  the  fin- 
ished product. 

In  current  times  it  has 
been  quite  a  custom  in  us- 
ing, for  example,  the  pretty 
girl  before  referred  to,  or 
any  other  similar  thing,  to 
retouch  and  work  over  de- 
tail after  detail,  taking  out 

character  and  putting  in  softness  and  artificiality.  The  result 
which  this  treatment  tends  to  produce  is  the  failure  of  the 
illustration  to  fulfil  its  function  altogether.  The  illustration 
has  become  a  statement  of  fact,  and  suggestion,  clogged  by  the 
fact,  has  degenerated  into  a  secondary,  senseless  pretense, 
which  is  not  art. 


This  is  no  run  on  a  bank,  but 
you  can  bank  on  a  run  on  these 
suits  at  $-- 

Yes,  all  this  season's  make,  all  up 
to  our  regular  standard. 
Instead  of  spending  the  money 
in  big  newspaper  space  we're 
giving  you  the  money-$3.  to 
$S.  saving  to  you  on  every  suit. 


Poster  treatment  of  illustration ; 
vigorous  motion  for  attention  value 
and  interest 


360  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

Decorative  Illustration 

The  other  method  of  using  illustration  is  the  one  with  which 
facts,  or  at  least  minor  facts,  are  subordinated  to  the  decora- 
tive idea.  This  type  seeks  by  the  choice  and  arrangement  of 
the  facts  to  be  shown,  the  colors  used,  the  forms  and  lines  em- 
ployed, to  show  a  decorative  plan  suggesting  facts  and  quali- 
ties at  the  same  time.  In  addition  to  facts  and  general  quali- 
ties, it  seeks  further  to  create  an  atmosphere  of  esthetic  pleas- 
ure through  its  choice  and  arrangement.  This  is  the  ideal 
type  of  illustration  as  to  treatment.  Broadly  speaking,  it  is 
called  the  poster  idea.  This  is  a  somewhat  incomplete  term, 
since  it  may  be  applied  to  other  things.  At  any  rate  it  is  a 
type  in  which  flat  tones  or  design  takes  precedence  over  un- 
important fact. 

A  very  important  modern  exposition  of  this  type  is  seen  in 
recent  Austrian  and  German  poster  work.  A  few  places  in 
this  country  are  educating  students  now  to  the  power  of  appre- 
ciation as  well  as  production  in  this  field.  When  illustrations 
are  properly  comprehended,  this  form  of  treatment  will  sup- 
plant the  former  one  and  mere  pretense,  with  its  sentimental 
associations,  will  pa^s  into  the  background. 

Relation  of  Illustration  to  Other  Elements 

A  word  should  be  said  in  regard  to  the  placing  of  the  illus- 
tration in  its  relation  to  other  matter  within  the  display.  Let 
us  illustrate  with  the  car  card.  If  we  consider  the  car  card 
divided  into  two  equal  parts  by  a  vertical  line,  left  and  right 
hand  parts,  it  is  sometimes  the  custom  to  place  the  illustration 
at  the  left,  facing  out.  This  calls  attention,  by  gaze,  to  the 
ad  next  the  one  in  which  the  illustration  i.s  found,  and  is  bad 
form.  On  the  other  hand,  it  sometimes  happens  that  the 
illustration  is  placed  in  the  right  hand  half.  If  it  faces  out, 
it  is  still  worse.  If  it  faces  in,  it  is  better,  but  very  often 
takes  attention  entirely    from   the   copy   at   its   left   and   the 


c 


ZECHOSlOVA 


ks,l 


OLORS? 


Here  is  a  particularly  interesting  and  convincing  use  of  intense  color  on 
a  neutral  background,  with  areas  so  distributed  as  to  accomplish  not  only 
a  decorative  arrangement,  but  an  emphasis  on  the  top  symbol  through 
color  area.  The  appeal  of  abstract  color  is  increased  by  that  of  patriot- 
ism. Attention  is  directed  particularly  to  the  fine  feeling  for  balance  and 
strength  given  to  the  page  by  the  use  of  black  at  the  bottom  in  producing 
this    effect. 


ILLUSTRATION  361 

observer,  who  naturally  reads  from  left  to  right  and  whose 
attention  is  carried  in  that  direction,  passes  from  this  illustra- 
tion to  the  next  card  without  ever  seeing  the  copy. 

What  is  true  of  the  car  card  is  true  in  other  fields  under 
similar  circumstances.  If  the  function  of  the  illustration  is 
to  attract  attention,  stimulate  interest  and  bring  conviction,  it 
must  be  placed  where  it  will  as  nearly  as  possible  accomplish 
these  three  things.  In  magazine  and  new^spaper  layout,  cuts 
frequently  appear  too  low  down,  or  after  the  points  have  been 
made.  This  means  that  either  they  are  not  needed,  because  the 
points  have  been  made,  or  that  they  may,  unless  very  carefully 
chosen,  lead  the  observer  into  another  field  of  thought  and 
destroy  the  sequence. 

Sometimes  when  the  illustration  is  suggestive  enough  or 
strong  enough  in  idea,  quality,  and  art  feeling,  it  is  possible  by 
its  proper  use  to  lessen  the  amount  of  copy  needed.  It  fre- 
quently occurs  that  fewer  words  may  be  used  because  of  the 
illustration's  appeal,  and  sometimes  fewer  illustrations  may  be 
used  because  w^ords  are  sufficient. 

There  is  much  discussion  as  to  what  part  of  advertising  space 
should  be  used  in  the  cut  as  compared  with  the  whole  amount 
to  be  used.  Of  course,  there  is  no  definite  rule  that  can  be 
given  in  this  regard.  Sometimes  a  poster  cut  may  tell  in  itself, 
through  its  statement  of  facts,  actions,  and  qualities,  nearly  all 
one  needs  to  say.  This  is  probably  truer  of  out-of-door  post- 
ers than  of  any  other  fields.  On  the  other  hand,  it  very  often 
happens  that  a  mere  suggestion  of  some  quality,  or  style,  or 
fact,  is  sufficient  with  the  copy  to  make  the  idea  clear,  attrac- 
tive, and  convincing.  While  there  can  be  no  way  of  stating 
the  exact  proportion  of  the  illustrative  idea,  it  seems  that  it 
may  be  fairly  safely  stated  that  in  general  work  one-fifth  the 
space  is  not  too  much.  Sometimes,  of  course,  much  more  may 
be  allotted,  and  probably  sometimes  less.  If  the  function  and 
type  of  illustration  are  understood  a  reasonably  definite  con- 


Foote-Burt  Independent  Feed  Drills 


THIS  is  one  of  the  nine 
si/cs  of  this  type  machine 
wc  build.  The  Indept-nd- 
cnt  Feed  feature  makes  it  pos- 
Mble  to  drill  a  numl>er  of  holes 
in  one  piece  at  varying  centers  in 
a  straight  line,  thereby  eliminat- 
ing the  excessive  handling  and 
expense  and  insuring  accurate 
work.  While  the  above  is  the 
main  feature  of  the  machine,  yet 
tlu-  drilling  of  single  pieces  can 
be  handled  in  an  economical 
manner,  due  to  Independent 
I'Ved,  as  the  operator  and  ma- 
cliinc  arc  always  busy 


No.  4 — Four  Spindle  Independent  Feed  Drill 

This  machine  has  a  capacity  of  2-inch  drills  in  solid  steel 
at  a  minimum  center  distance  of  8  inches  or  a  maxinmra 
center  distance  between  outside  spindles  of  75  inches. 

Ivach  spindle  has  independent  feed  with  automatic  knock- 
off  and  clutch  for  stopping  and  starting  m  order  to  change 
tools  without  stopping  the  whole  machine. 

The  spmdies  are  adjustable  on  the  rail  while  the  machine 
IS  running  or  at  rest. 

Three  changes  of  geared  power  feed  arc  provided  through 
([Ukk  change  gear  device,  any  tmc  of  which  is  instantly  avail- 
able by  simply  shifting  a  lever  conveniently  located.  The 
weight  of  this  machine  is  10.000  lbs. 


Write  for  new  circular  specifying  No.   4-5. 


The  Foote-Burt  Co.,  Cleveland,  Ohio 


Milw.iukit— 4!t  Wells  BldR. 


Magazine  page  with  illustration  too  large  in  proportion  to  copy 


362 


The  use  of  neutralized  color  in  background  ionu  is  admirably  shown 
in  this  illustration.  The  qualities  of  refinement  and  distinction  are  well 
brought  out  in  the  choice  and  arrangement  of  a  finely  keyed  complemen- 
tary color  scheme.  Attention  value  is  secured  through  the  treatment  of 
the  car  in  the  lower  foreground  and  a  perfect  balance  is  obtained  through 
the  size  and  the  placing  of  the  name  at  the  top  left.  This  adds  a  dignified 
quality  in  harmony  with  the  goods  advertised. 


ILLUSTRATION  3^3 

elusion  may  be  arrived  at  in  each  of  the  various  fields  of  dis- 
play. 

Functions  of  Illustration  Summarized 

To  summarize  a  moment  —  the  function  of  the  illustration 
is  to  convey  fact,  quality,  and  create  a  mental  condition  through 
suggestion.  Suggestion  should  play  a  much  more  important 
part  than  statement  of  fact  in  all  places  where  quality  is  of  any 
importance.  Generally  speaking,  words  are  about  as  effective 
in  conveying  abstract  ideas  as  pictures  are;  this  is  an  import- 
ant point.  Under  ordinary  circumstances  the  first  use  of  the 
illustration  is  to  supplement  the  copy  and  in  order  to  do  so, 
in  any  sense,  it  must  be  relevant  to  the  copy. 

The  second  reason  for  the  use  of  the  illustration  is  based  on 
the  psychology  of  human  appeal.  People  are  more  interested 
in  persons  than  in  things.  "  Persons,"  however,  is  not  a  sex 
term.  The  advertising  of  face  powder,  hose,  paving  stones, 
and  caskets  by  means  of  a  female  head  or  a  female  figure,  as  an 
attention  getter,  should  not  be  regarded  as  illustrating  human- 
interest  appeal. 

The  third  function  of  the  illustration,  is  to  make  a  more  gen- 
eral and  far-reaching  appeal  than  words  can.  Because  of  the 
impersonality  of  words,  because  of  their  abstract  similism,  they 
cannot,  except  in  very  rare  instances,  stir  the  emotions  with  the 
same  vigor  and  zeal  that  pictures  do,  and  it  is,  of  course,  the 
emotions  that  create  the  mental  atmosphere  desired  in  much  of 
our  advertising  display.  The  difference  between  the  way  the 
intellectual  faculties  of  the  mind  act  and  the  mental  activities 
of  the  human  being  is  a  matter  for  psychological  discussion. 
The  sections  on  those  subjects  should  be  carefully  studied  in 
relation  to  this  section  on  illustration. 

Atmosphere  is  indeed  an  indefinite  word,  but  it  is  not  so 
difficult  to  describe  in  this  connection  when  it  is  seen  in  this 
way.     Anything  which  is  presented  to  consciousness  through 


Paicnled  RemovaUe 


NOTE— These 

easily  removed  fi 

the  operation  of  the  furnace. 


■ms  can  be  quickly  and 

■M  the  outside  of  the  fur- 
lerially    interfering    with 


40% 

Greater 

Capacity 


Air  Cooled 

and 

Temperoiurc 

Controlled 


The  air-cooled  arms  of  the 
Ilerrcshofr  Fumace  arc  hollow  and 
through  them  a  forced  draught  of  air  is 
circulated  from  the  central  shaft.  Besides 
maintaining  the  strength  of  the  metal 
this  effects  the  preheating  of  air  used 
lor  combualion.  Thus  is  the  temi>cra- 
ture  of  the  roasting  process  ri-gulated  and 
the  efficiency  of  the  combustion  increabcd, 
malting  the  capacity  per  foot  of  hearth 
wheji  compared  with  the  ordinary  :type 
40  per  cent,  greater  in 


It  utilizes  all  waste  heat.  No  slagging 
on  the  hearth.  This  company  knows  the 
economy  of  this  furnace.  We  have  used  it 
for  years.  We  want  you  to  put  your 
roasting  problem  up  to-  us  and  get  the 
benefit  of  our  long  experience, 


Orer 


Do  it 


For 

Mdallur^^aJ 

and 

Chemical 


Fumace/*  Made  In 

Varioa/i/izc/» 

Wrilcy^r  CaleaJo^e ' 


GENmcmO\L(MW 

BERRESHOFF  FURNACE  DEPARTMENT  B 
25  Broad  Street  Now  Vorlc,  N.  Y. 

PAanC  FOUNDEMM 

16^  and  H«n"u-on  y^rcely-  yin  franciyxo  Cal/£^A 
Psci/ic  Qafi-r/  Agcni/* 


Magazine  page,  material  badly  selected,  badly  grouped,  badly  placed, 
too  mixed   in  kinds 


364 


ILLUSTRATION  365 

the  senses,  if  sensed  at  all,  creates  a  mental  state  of  pleasure, 
pain  or  indifference.  It  is  rarely  wise  in  advertising  to  create 
the  condition  of  pain,  or  fear,  except  indirectly  in  the  case  of 
patent  medicines  and  other  articles  that  are  bought  only  be- 
cause of  fear.  It  is  generally  wise  to  create  as  pleasant  a 
mental  condition  as  possible.  Some  persons  find  pleasure  in 
one  thing  and  some  in  another. 

The  intelligent  use  of  the  illustration  in  creating  atmosphere 
is  its  use  in  creating  mental  states  which  really  are  the  at- 
mosphere of  the  individual.  For  we  are  pretty  nearly  what  we 
think  we  are  at  the  time  and  we  do  somewhat  nearly  what  we 
feel  like  doing  when  we  can.  This  mental  state,  created  by 
the  presentation  of  qualities  to  consciousness,  is  atmosphere. 
It  is  a  mistake  to  think,  because  people  are  poor,  somewhat  un- 
cultivated, and  apparently  unrefined,  that  they  buy  things  more 
readily  which  are  as  poverty-stricken  and  illiterate-looking,  or 
badly  formed,  as  they  themselves  believe  they  are.  People  like 
to  be  thought  better  than  they  are,  and  the  atmosphere  that 
recognizes  this  fact  is  more  likely  to  produce  results  than  the 
one  which  believes  that  everybody  must  be  met  on  the  exact 
ground  on  which  he  seems  to  be  to  the  man  who  is  judging 
him.  People  are  often  much  better  than  they  seem  and  often 
understand  and  enjoy  much  better  things  than  they  appear  to 
do. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

ORNAMENT 

Ornament  Defined 

The  term  ornament  is  applied  to  certain  forms  which  have 
been  evoh-ed,  or  are  being  evolved,  with  decorative  intent. 
The  aim  of  ornament  is  to  strengthen  or  define  structural  lines 
and  to  add  beauty  through  a  unity  with  the  thing  upon  which 
the  ornament  is  applied.  E\'ery  period  in  history  has  evolved 
its  own  ornament  types,  with  the  same  sense  of  desire  for 
beauty  and  belief  that  ornaments  would  realize  this  end. 
Sometimes  beauty  has  been  the  result,  sometimes  the  most  in- 
tense ugliness  has  come  out  of  both  the  making  of  the  orna- 
ment and  the  bad  use  of  it  after  it  has  found  expression. 

Decoration  as  Distinguished  from  Ornamentation 

The  first  step  in  understanding  ornament  is  the  clear  dis- 
tinction between  the  terms  "  decoration  "  and  "  ornamenta- 
tion." The  ornament  itself  may  be  good  and  the  result  of  its 
use  bad;  or,  the  ornament  itself  may  be  fairly  good  and  the 
result  of  its  use  extremely  pleasing.  There  are  then  two  dis- 
tinct things  to  realize  —  when  ornament  is  itself  beautiful  and 
when  it  is  decorative  in  its  use. 

The  term  decoration  implies  two  things :  first,  the  defining  or 
strengthening  construction  or  structural  lines.  This  presup- 
poses a  made  thing  upon  which  decoration  is  to  be  placed. 
Ornament  existing  without  this  idea  cannot  be  a  decoration. 
Bands  or  stripes  around  a  rug  define  its  edges  and  sometimes 
add  beauty  to  the  rug.     They  l)rcak  the  surface,  occasionally 

366 


ORNAMENT 


367 


introduce  pleasing  shapes  and  sizes,  vary  the  color,  and  alto- 
gether add  charm  to  the  rug.  This  is  a  decorative  use  of  orna- 
ment.    Curtains  which  hang  at  the  windows,  straight,  in  har- 


A  Few  Border 
Arrangements 

A  Souvenir  of  the  Course  on 
"Advertising  Arrangement" 
conducted  by  Frank  Alvah 
Parsons  under  the  man- 
agement of  the  New  ^'otL 
Advertising     Men's     League 

Composed    and     Printed    by 

WILLIAM_^_GREEN 

627  West  43'd   Street.  N    Y 


A  succession  of  borders  in  several  lines 

1.  A  fairly  adequate  support 

2.  Lines  become  distracting  and  conflict  with  copy 

3.  Lines  dominate 

mony  with  the  window  casinj,s,  door  casings,  and  other  vertical 
structural  lines,  have  a  pleasing  color  and  pattern,  form  a  dec- 
orative window  idea.  Two  long  candlesticks  on  either  end  of 
a  mantel,  in  harmony  with  the  structure  of  the  mantel,  making 


For  Holiday  Gifts 


Al«l  to  >5  g'/,  J„'X'.,S 

P.tture..  Doi   Dnnloog  D;>h«., 

Sc*r°.p"Bi.kil«,  VeS  cIju°' 
Pillows.  Bcus  C»Ddle  HoMcri, 
Velvet  Cuthion*.  Willow  Ch«ir». 
Muffin  Sundi  and  Odd  Pottery 

RMd7  For  IfnmoU.c*  Shlpmast 

Joseph  P.  McHugh  &  Son 

NINE    WEST    FORTY-SECOND    ST 
OPPOSITE  LIBRARV.  NEW   YORK 


For  Holiday  Gifts 

The    Popular    Sbr  ^    PrctcoU 
Tbe    FoUowinf    SufgeUiooi 

For  Holiday  Gifts 

Tbe    Populir   Shop    Pretend 
The     following     So((eilioal 

AtM  to^S^:*J^:To,.fr 

Pictures   Doj    Dnr^king  D.*hr«. 
Muffin  Sundi  and  Odd  Pottery 

At«lt0»5^rr',oS°p"o'..lr 
Picturei.  Do,   Dr.nkm,   DUhei. 

5'r»p'**Bi"eii.    vi'tet'  000*" 

v'r\v"c?.''oV.  w?!ij.  c'"n. 
Muffin  St.r.df  «nd  Odd  Pottery 

Ra«lyF<,rIa,a,.d.a,.Sh.p««i. 

»»4,F..lmm«>I...Sl.„m.n. 

Joseph  P.  McHugh  &  Son 

NINE    WEST    FORTY-SECOSD    ST 
OPPOSITE   LIBBARY.NEW   YORK 

Joseph  P  McHugh  &  Son 

OPPOSITE  LIBRARY.  NEW   YORK 

A  succession  of  borders  inclosing  a  well  arranged  copy 

1.  Line  too  weak 

2.  Line  too  strong 

3.  Line  about  adequate 

stronger  the  structural  lines  because  of  repeating  them,  cause 
a  decorative  effect.  Carving,  restrained  or  confined  between 
certain  lines,  may  add  strength  and  beauty  to  the  structure  of 


368 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


a  cabinet  or  a  chair,  or,  by  loose  and  unintelligent  placing,  may 
weaken  the  structure  and  make  a  chaos  instead  of  a  chair  back 
or  cabinet  front. 


For  Holiday  Gifts 

Al  »I  to  »5  t'.'Jr^"U,': 


Joseph?  McHueh&Soa 

OPPOfilTl  LIBRARy.  NEW   YORK 


A  succession  of  border  lines 

1.  Showing  how  placing  of  strong  line  leads  attention  both  out  and  in 

2.  Showing  placing  of  strong  line  so  as  to  direct  attention  in  only 

3.  Showing  lines  too  far  apart  and  their  scattering  effect 

Often  it  happens  that  one  admires  a  piece  of  bric-a-brac, 
curtain  material,  a  pattern  in  a  rug,  or  a  bit  of  historic  orna- 
ment, and   imagines  that  he  can  place  this  where  he  likes, 


Io> 


-M 


For  Holiday  Gifts 

Th<    Populir    Sb»>    Prcxnil 
Tht     Fi>llo...ii|     Sullctl.oil 

AiM  io'5!r;,J;;'T;„;: 


Joseph  P  McHujh  &  Son 

OrrOSITK  LIBRARY    NIW   YORK 


m 


m 


For  Holiday  Gifts 

Tbc    Follu»,ii( 

Ai'i  10  >5  t;i^ 

Joseph  P  McIIujh  &  Son 


{o] 


For  Holiday  Gifts  J 

Th>    Pup.lir    Shop    Poicnii 
The    Fwllowini    Su(|<Mioii 

At  <I  10  "S  ^J;^'?;,^ 
Joseph  PMcUuShi  Son    j; 

(I 
(I 


Showing  set  of  borders 

1.  With  corners  too  strong  detracting  from  copy 

2.  Better  balanced,  but  corners  in  line  form  a  different  motif  and  by 
contrast  remain  too  strong 

3.  Showing  how  wavy  line  contrasting  with  copy  demands  the  whole 
attention 

as  he  likes,  with  anything  he  likes  —  and  the  result  is  decora- 
tion. This  is  not  so.  This  is  ornamentation.  It  is  the  ex- 
ploitation of  ornament  for  the  sake  of  showing  the  ornament. 


ORNAMENT  3^9 

The  result  is  usually  in  bad  taste.  Perhaps  this  may  be  briefly 
stated  in  these  terms.  Decoration  exists  to  strengthen  struc- 
ture and  make  more  beautiful  the  object  upon  which  it  is 
placed.     Ornamentation  exists  to  exploit  itself  at  the  expense 


▲  ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲■     ■TTTTTTTYTTTTM    r(r>«Ste-Or-EjB»J^_at*'— >" 
►     ►  <  % 

For  Holiday  Gifts  t        ^  For  Holiday  Gifts  <       J  For  Holiday  Gifts 

JosephP.McHuihiSon    ^  ^    Joseph  P.  McHujh  &  Son    ^  \    ^""''i'„'^?oi"",^jro*f°? 

OPPOS.rt  t,....K,    «W   YORK      ^  ^      OPPOSIT.  L,.»..,    N.W   VO,K       <  1      ""<»■"  ■•"«-''    —   — 

TTTTTTTTTTYT*     MAAAAAAAAAAAAB    C<!~-«a->(r— <ta-»VJ)J*»— S 

A  set  of  borders  in  which  one  shows  the  distracting  effect  of  movement 
outward.  Two  shows  the  concentrating  effect  of  movement  inward. 
Three  shows  the  use  of  the  French  motif  and  its  decorative  effect  badly 
used  to  express  general  merchandise 

of  the  objects  with  which  it  is  associated.  It  would  be  well, 
by  the  way,  if  persons  knew  this  in  arranging  the  interior  of 
their  houses,  selecting  materials  for  their  clothes,  as  well  as 
in  the  question  of  advertising- display. 

Sources  of  Ornament 

There  are  two  distinct  sources,  or  fields,  from  which  orna- 
ment is  drawn  —  the  field  of  nature  and  the  field  of  abstrac- 
tion. Naturalistic  ornament  is  ornament  which  proposes  to 
express  some  thing  in  nature  as  nearly  like  the  original  thing 
as  is  possible  to  the  medium  of  its  reproduction.  At  various 
times  in  the  history  of  art  development  the  extravagant  love 
of  nature  or  the  belief  in  its  beauty  under  all  circumstances  has 
led  people  to  exaggerated  ideas  of  the  importance  of  represent- 
ing nature  in  all  places,  in  all  materials,  for  all  purposes.  This 
seems  ridiculous  on  the  face  of  it.  While  it  might  be  possible 
to  tolerate  a  wax  rose,  it  is  unendurable  to  think  of  a  hair  one 
or  a  shell  one.     Tin  and  iron  scarcelv  lend  themselves  to  the 


Matchless 


THE  OSTER  "Matclilcs?"  threads  all 
sizes  from  1  in.  to  2  in.  on  one  set 
of  narrow,  receding  dies.  There  is  not 
an  easier  cutting  die-stock  made  and  none 
so  light  with  the  same  range.  Its  Protected 
Leader  Screw  is  an  exclusive  feature. 


No.  306B  is  one  of  three  sizes  %ve  build  of 
this  type.  The  gears  made  from  solid  metal, 
cut  on  costly  automatic  macliines  and  the 
pinions  cut  from  solid  steel  forgings  place 
these  tools  in  a  class  with  the  finest  ma- 
chinery made.  This  tool  in  the  comer  cf 
your  shop  will  take  care  of  all  your  pipe, 
bolt  and  nipple  threading. 


Pipe-threading  today 
is  Easy  and  Cheap — 

THE  fact  that  this  is  so  is  due  in  a  large 
measure  to  the  persistence  of  this  con- 
cern for  twenty  odd  years  in  concen- 
trating on  one  subject — better  pipe-threading. 
The  truth  of  this  you  can  quickly  prove  by 
testing  any  of  the  47  tools  of  the  Oster  line,  the 
largest  and  most  complete  group  of  pipe, 
threading  tools  on  the  market. 

OSTER  TGDIS 


Hand 


Belt 


Motor 


are  built  on  tlie  principle  that  every  tool  must 
win  the  good  will  and  respect  of  its  owner.  To 
make  stire  that  they  will  make  good  we  build 
our  tools  with  the  utmost  care  and  accuracy. 
The  result  to  you  is  inevitably  more  work 
accomplished  in  less  time  and  more  and  better 
work  per  dollar  expended.  The  dealer  in  your 
locality  will  gladly  show  you  what  you  can  do 
with  an  up-to-date  pipe-threading  tool. 


This  is  the  complete 
OSTER  Catalog 
which  we  are  send- 
ing FREE  by  return 
mail  to  everyone 
who  sends  in  his 
and  business 
address. 


The 
Oster  Mfg.  Co. 

2095  E.  61st  St. 
CLEVELAND, 
OHIO 


Unbalanced  placing  of  illustrations  with  "breaking  of  margin  lines  and 
ugly  general  arrangement 


370 


ORNAMExXT 


371 


The  Baldwin  Carbide  Lamp 

Never  Needs  Coaxing 

You  want  a  mine  lamp  you  can  depend 
upon,  one  which  simply  requires  filling 
and  lighting  and  nothing  more  to 
bother  with  until  fresh  carbide  is 
needed.  No  valve  feeds  to  fuss  with. 
A  lamp  which  will  give  you  a  steady, 
bright  light  until  the  last  grain  of  car- 
bide is  used. 

You  don't  want  a  light  which  is  sputtering  and  blowing  one  mmute, 
wasting  carbide  and  giving  you  more  light  than  you  need,  then  the 
next  minute  dying  down  to  a  glimmer,  leaving  you  in  the  dark.  You 
don't  want  to  be  continually  fussing  with  a  regulating  valve  or  bother- 
ing  with  some  other  kind  of  an  adjusting  device.  You  cannot  afford 
to  be  wasting  your  time  trying  to  coax  a  lamp  to  do  its  duty 

We  Would  Like  to  Prove  to  You  That  the  Baldwin 
Carbide  Lamp  Is  the  One  Mechanically 
Perfect  Mine  Lamp 

Every  Baldwin  Lamp  is  guaranteed.  It  must  give  you  continued,  unqualified  satis- 
faction. It  is  your  privilege  to  try  the  Baldwin  for  a  week  and  if  at  the  end  of  that 
time  you  are  in  any  manner  dissatisfied  it  is  your  further  privilege  to  take  the 
lamp  back  to  your  dealer  and  he  will  return  your  money  (See  our  guarantee  be- 
low.) We  want  to  convince  you  that  every  fault  you  may  have  ever  found  in 
other  carbide  lamps  is  overcome  in  the  Baldwin. 

The  Automatic  'Water  Feed 


This  feed  regulates  the  flow  of  water.  It  keeps  the 
flame  consUnt  and  steady.  It  prevents  waste  and 
cuts  down  the  expense. 

This  automatic  feed  is  a  patented  feature.    It  siap^ 

all  troublesome  regulating.     It  feeds  the  watc'r 

as  it  should  be  fed,  drop    by  drop  and  just 

enough  drops  to  keep  the  flame  bright  and 

steady.  Jolting  or  jarring  will  not  affect  it. 

If  Vour  Dealer 
Does  not  Sell  the  Baldwin, 


John 
Simmons  Co. 


96  Centre  Street,  New  York 

268AMarket  St..  San  Francisco,  Cal.     ISO  Blcury  St..  Montreal,  Can. 


OUR     GUARANTEE 


Every  Automatic 
Feed    Carbide 
Mine  Lamp 


Li  tb3t  wo  cLum 


Bad   structural   arrangement,   with   unnecessary  introduction   of    ugly 

shapes 


subtleties  of  natural  floral  textures.  Paint,  with  all  its  possi- 
bilities, fails  to  do  justice  to  the  beautiful  lily,  even  when  the 
so-called  artist  applies  it  to  the  dinner  plate,  the  sofa  pillow,  or 
the  wall  paper.  The  misconception  of  the  possible  terms  of 
nature  is  legion,  but  in  most  historic  periods  this  has  been  an 


372  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

important  field  from  which  decorative  motifs  have  been  chosen. 

The  second  type  of  ornament  is  taken  from  the  field  of  ab- 
straction. This  means  that  forms  have  been  created  with  lines, 
spaces,  spots  and  colors,  the  results  of  which  have  aimed  at 
pure  form  beauty  and  the  attempt  to  arrive  at  this  without  its 
bearing  any  resemblance  to  anything  that  ever  had  life.  The 
Greek  did  this  largely.  The  Saracenic  school,  because  of  re- 
ligious prejudices,  evolved  a  system  of  interlining  ornament 
wholly  free  from  the  naturalistic  idea. 

There  is  a  class  midway  between  these  two,  called  conven- 
tional ornament.  The  source  of  this  class  is  nature,  and  the 
result  is  a  modified  form  of  the  source  better  suited  to  general 
use  than  the  actual  representation  of  nature  itself.  Ruskin 
has  said,  "  Conventionalism  is  man's  expression  of  nature  in 
his  own  materials."  This  means  that  conventionalism  is  the 
adaptation  of  natural  motifs,  floral  and  animal,  to  the  indi- 
vidual material  in  which  man  intends  to  represent  it.  Liber- 
ties are  taken  with  the  actual  form,  size,  and  color.  Parts  are 
added  or  taken  away.  Colors  are  harmonized  through  law. 
Lines  are  constructed  and  bent  to  circumstances,  both  as  to  the 
space  they  will  fill  and  as  to  the  material  in  which  the  design 
is  to  be  worked.  It  is  bad  art  to  try  to  represent  a  flower  as  it 
really  looks,  on  wall  paper,  a  rug,  or  a  china  plate,  but  the 
general  idea  of  form,  size,  and  color  may  be  so  arranged  and 
modified  and  structurally  placed  as  to  become  a  true  decorative 
idea.  This  middle  type,  the  "  conventionalized  ornament,"  is 
in  quite  general  use. 

Historic  Ornament 

At  this  particular  point  it  seems  best  to  discuss  for  a  mo- 
ment the  historic  ornament  idea,  because  this  type  —  whether 
naturalistic  or  otherwise  —  has  been  and  is  in  the  printing 
trades  a  good  deal  the  vogue.  Type  books  have  been  sent  out 
with  ornament  taken  indiscriminately,  apparently  from  any 


ORNAMENT 


373 


place  and  every  place,  and  printers  have  taken  these  traditional 
motifs  to  be  "  real  art,"  using  them  for  borders  and  in  other 
ways  where  ornament  seemed  desirable,  or  where  the  client 
was  willing  to  have  his  paper  used  that  way. 

A  "  period  "  in  art  is  an  epoch  in  which  the  activities  of  a 
people  are  dominated  by  one  master  mind.  In  monarchical 
countries  until  very  recently  this  has  been  comparatively  simple. 
In  France  the  art  was  the  art  of  Louis  this  or  that,  really  dic- 
tated by  the  women  of  the  court  and  their  followers.  In 
England  the  art  of  a  period  was  more  or  less  the  monarch's 


HOTEL  MAJESTIC 


A  jjcrfectly  organized  service — freedom  from 
the  usual  restrictions  caused  by  lack  of  space 
— and  a  quiet  and  reserved  atmosphere  which 
is  just  as  much  a  part  of  this  hotel  as  the 
structure  itself,  give  The  Majftstic  first  claim 
for  exclusive  Receptions,  Weddings,  Parties 
and  Dansants. 

Three  magnificent  Ballrooms. 
J.   CHAJILTON  KI\'ERS.   Wanag^ngr  Director. 

72-Street6'Ceivtrai  Ikk)\bt 


KM  a 

Illustrating  good  balance  of   copy  and   illustration.     Abstract  border 


intellectual  and  domestic  interpretation  of  the  Italian  Renais- 
sance up  to  the  days  of  Chippendale,  when  it  became  largely 
an  individualistic  expression.  The  older  periods,  like  the 
Greek,  Roman,  Saracenic,  and  Byzantine,  have  expressed  ac- 
tual ideals  of  life,  religious,  political,  and  social.  These  ideals 
have  been  expressed,  like  the  later  ones,  in  architecture,  paint- 
ing, sculpture,  pictures,  literature,  and  in  ornament. 

It  will  be  clearly  seen  that  ornament  must  be  as  truly  the 
natural,  spontaneous  expression  of  ideas  as  is  architecture, 
music,  or  literature.  The  ideals  and  activities  of  the  time  find 
their  permanent  form  often  in  ornament.     Take  the  Gothic 


374  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

period,  for  example.  A  cathedral  would  be  meaningless  with- 
out its  ornament.  The  cathedral  is  symbolic  of  the  greatest 
religious  enthusiasm  the  world  has  ever  known.  Every  detail 
of  its  ornament  is  symbolic  of  fact  and  fancy  connected  with 
medieval  religious  life.  No  part  of  it  was  for  show,  and  no 
part  of  it  without  a  meaning.  The  Greek  period  represents 
much  the  same  spirit,  with  the  development  of  pure  form 
beauty  as  an  ideal  instead  of  the  spiritual  ideal  of  the  Gothic 
era.  Nowhere  in  the  history  of  ages  is  there  recorded  a  more 
devoted  and  live  interest  than  that  of  the  Greek  in  the  develop- 
ment of  this  pure  form  ideal.  These  are  but  two  of  the  many 
types  of  ornament  which  have  been  the  result  of  the  normal 
activities  of  nations,  based  upon  the  concentrated  ideals  in 
which  they  lived.  This  makes  ornament  not  an  effort  of  show, 
but  the  actual,  living  representation  of  ideas.  Many  of  these 
forms  are  still  used  and  still  retain  their  original  significance, 
and  this  fact  must  be  recognized. 

An  amusing  illustration  of  the  failure  to  catch  the  spirit  of 
a  period  was  seen  in  a  single  group  of  advertisements  w^ith 
borders  which  was  submitted  for  class  criticism.  The  period 
of  Louis  XV  stands  for  a  period  more  unstable,  frivolous,  un- 
trammeled  by  convention,  and  ungoverned  by  restraint,  than 
any  other  period  since  the  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire.  Its 
ornament  is  largely  composed  of  rococo  motifs,  curved  and 
twisting,  sinuous  and  sensuous,  non-structural  and  moving, 
dainty  and  effeminate,  wonderfully  worked  together  in  col- 
umns of  writhing  unstableness.  Borders  precisely  the  same  in 
their  origin  and  much  alike  in  appearance,  taken  directly  from 
this  period,  were  found  around  pages  on  which  were  adver- 
tised vanity  boxes,  printing  machinery,  paving  stones,  and 
caskets.  While  there  mav  be  a  connection  between  the  first 
and  last  of  these  and  the  ornament  used,  there  seems  to  be  very 
little  between  the  second  and  third. 

Although  some  of  the  historic  periods  have  lost  their  sig- 


ORNAMENT 


375 


nificance  somewhat,  there  is  always  a  decided  feeling  of  certain 
quahties  in  ornament  which  makes  it  impossible  to  use  it  indis- 
criminately. 


Ornament  as  Applied  to  Borders 

One  of  ';he  most  familiar  applications  of  ornament  in  adver- 
tising is  that  of  border  use.  At  present  there  is  a  wave,  almost 
an  epidemic,  of  borders.  They  vary  from  a  single  line  to  five 
or  six  lines,  from  the  Greek  fret  to  the  Gothic  trefoil,  from 
black  to  white,  through  the 
entire  range  of  the  spectrum. 
Because  of  this  we  will  con- 
sider first  the  function  of  the 
border  itself. 

The  general  form  of  the 
printed  mass  upon  the  page 
has  been  so  bad,  the  edges 
so  ragged  and  disconnected, 
that  the  border  has  very 
likely  been  the  natural  step 
between  this  chaotic  mass 
and  the  constructive  hand- 
ling of  edges  which  is  rapidly 
coming  into  use.  By  plac- 
ing a  line  or  some  border 
arrangement  around  the  page 
and  outside  the  copy,  an  ap- 
parent unity  has  been  pro- 
duced when  otherwise  the 
page  would  have  been  an 
unorganized  mass.  The  first 
function  of  the  border  is  to 


Shoe  Facts 

The  insides  of  our 
boots  have  no  wrinkled 
or  bunched  lining  to 
mar  one's  foot  comfort. 

Neither  are  the  leath- 
ers strained  or  weak- 
ened. Tliey  are  full  cut 
and  hana-stitcbed  with- 
out stretching. 

Compare  any  of  our 
products  with  the  origi- 
nal last,  and  you  will 
find  it  absolutely  ac- 
Goi  r  at  e — the  hand- 
sewing  holds  it  fast  to  the 
"mould."  This  is  not  true 
of  machine-Xnadc  sh6es. 

.Dress  Pumps  and/  Sf>orts 

Boots    in    large    variety. 

FARTII 

a- 

.ART] 

BOOTMAKERS  FOR  MEI  AMD  VtNEN 

1  East  35th  St.,  New  York 


in    arrangement    showing    border, 

sustain  the  material,  help  to    ^'^^^^  ^"^  bottom  well  sustained,  con- 

,       .,    ,        ,        ,  ,         ,        sistent   though   a    little   strong.     Top 

make  it  structural,  and  make    inconsistent  in  line  motif  and  feeling 


376  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

it  appear  to  belong  together  and  also  to  the  edge  of  the  paper. 
In  this  the  border  has  done  a  great  work. 

The  second  function,  unless  the  border  is  a  purely  abstract 
one  like  a  line  or  a  Saracenic  motif,  is  to  express  an  idea.  It 
sometimes  happens  that  a  fact  which  is  expressed  in  copy  or 
illustration  may  be  repeated  in  border  form,  thereby  strength- 
ening the  appeal.  Often  a  border  creates  a  mental  state  the 
quality  of  which  is  exactly  the  one  you  wish  to  have  under- 
stood by  your  illustration  or  your  copy.  Take,  for  instance, 
the  Louis  XV  border  and  the  vanity  box.  The  very  shapes 
and  sizes  of  the  ornament  suggest  powder  puffs,  frizzes,  mir- 
rors, and  the  like.  When  a  border  can  do  this  successfully  it  is 
well  used.  This  is  really,  then,  expressing  a  fact  or  creating 
an  atmosphere. 

Allowing  this  to  be  true,  there  are  certain  cautions  which  it 
is  necessary  to  observe  in  the  use  of  borders,  or  their  efficacy 
is  destroyed.  Since  the  border  is  used  to  harmonize  the  copy 
with  the  edge,  sustain  it  and  make  it  stronger,  it  must  in  no 
case  be  itself  stronger  than  the  copy.  This  is  the  same  prin- 
ciple as  that  of  the  picture  frame.  Whenever  a  picture  frame 
makes  a  stronger  appeal  than  the  picture,  the  frame  is  bad. 
Few  persons  indeed  there  are  whose  taste  is  so  depraved  that 
they  would  care  to  admit  their  desire  to  exploit  picture  frames 
on  their  living-room  walls.  IVIost  persons,  even  with  bad  pic- 
ture frames,  think  they  are  framing  pictures  to  show  the  pic- 
ture. If  the  advertising  copy  is  of  any  account,  let  it  seem 
so  Iw  being  stronger  than  the  border  which  surrounds  it. 

Furthermore,  unless  the  border  can  be  made  to  express  the 
same  idea  that  the  rest  of  the  display  expresses,  it  is  very  de- 
sirable that  it  be  kept  purely  abstract,  that  is,  in  line  or  shape 
without  the  suggestion  of  historic  style  or  of  a  natural  unit. 
An  irrelevant  border  is  as  bad  as  an  irrelevant  illustration  and 
sometimes  even  in  worse  taste,  because  ignorance  as  to  the 
meaning  of  ornament  is  less  excusable  than  one's  undying  be- 


ORNAMENT  377 

lief  that  he  must  love  pictures  of  anything  whatever.     We  have 
inherited  that  tradition. 


Initials  and  Other  Applications  of  Ornament 

A  second  use  of  ornament  is  seen  in  the  disposition  to  use 
extravagantly  what  are  known  as  ornamental  initials.  The 
treatment  of  initial  letters  should  have  a  chapter  by  itself. 
They  are  of  all  shapes,  sizes, 
periods,  colors,  and  forms, 
and  represent  in  their  ag- 
gregate probably  the  most 
atrocious  combinations  the 
market  afifords.  Whenever 
the  ornament  becomes  more 
attractive  than  the  letter  it- 
self, so  that  it  is  difficult  for 
the  mind  not  only  to  select 
the  letter  but  to  connect  it 
with  the  rest  of  the  word, 
the  use  is  not  in  good  taste. 
It  seldom  happens  that  an 
initial  letter  which  occupies 
more  than  three  lines  of 
space,  from  top  to  bottom, 
can  be  successfully  used. 
The  letter  itself  should  be, 
of  course,  near  the  top,  so 
that  its  top  is  horizontal  with 
the  first  line  of  print.  Great 
care  should  be  taken  that  the 
initial  used  is  not  too  large, 

too  long,  or  too  disconnected.         Arrangement  whose  border  in  style 

These  are  not  supposed  to  be    ^"^  ^^.^^'"^  '-^  '"  l<eeping  with  goods 
.  advertised.     A    httle    too    strong   for 

decorative.      Function     pre-    text 


Oriental 
Rugs 

(f  Rugs  whose  au- 
^  thentfcity  Is 
vouched  for  by  the 
great  Importing 
house  of  Kent-Cos- 
tikyan*  Inc. 

fll  Thousands  of 
^  Small  Rugs  and 
hundreds  of  Rocm 
Size  Rugs  and  Rugs 
In  extraordinary  di- 
mensions selling  at 
less  than  wholesale 
prices. 

Mall  Orders  Pilled. 

KENT-COSTIKYAN 

Incorporated 

8  West  38th  St. 
New  York  City 


FA1R.MONT 

GOAL  MINE  EQUIPMENTS 


i:.\   ](   r.l 


t-l  h 


Slippery  Tracks — Bad 
Brakes — Don't   Affect 


Fairmont 

Railroad  Car  Retarders 


PATKNTKD 


The 


gIV 


tlu 


the 


tipple  at  all  times  complete 
control  of  the  cars  to  be  loaded. 
No  chance  of  runaways  if 
yon  have  a  Fairmont. 
Saves  you  money,  too.  Elim- 
inates spilling — cars  are  fed 
regularly — makes  a  bettcr- 
!(X>king  load. 

With  the  I'airmont  there  is 
no  chance  for  accidents.  The 
nun  do  not  have  to  ride  cars 


Til 


>tigh     under     the     tipple 
rctarder  does  it  all 


This  device  is  easy  to  install 

and  operate.  HfTects  a  sav- 
ing in  labor,  often  enabling 
owners  to  dispense  with  the 
services  of  one  man. 

Von  will  find  this  installation 
a  paying  investment.  Let 
us  send  you  a  bulletin 
NOW. 


Fairmont  Mining  MachineryCo. 

Fairmont  West  Virginia 


Sliowing  how  qualities  of  the  merchandise  may  he  used  effectively  in 
hordcr  arrangement,  at  the  same  time  illustrating  the  ideas  exploited. 
Good  arrangement  of  copy  as  to  blank  space 


37^ 


ORNAMENT  379 

cedes  looks  in  its  importance,  in  the  field  of  advertising  display 
as  in  other  fields.  We  are  not  bound  by  tradition  to  accept 
and  use  any  and  all  forms  of  decorative  initials  even  though 
they  were  developed  by  the  monasteries  in  medieval  days. 
There  was  plenty  of  time  for  such  things  in  those  days  and  the 
object  for  which  these  things  were  designed  was  entirely  dif- 
ferent from  the  object  of  their  use  in  present  day  problems. 

Head  and  Tail  Pieces 

The  third  important  use  of  ornament  concerns  what  we  shall 
call  head  and  tail  pieces  and  "  space  fillers."  It  has  been  the 
custom  to  select  pieces  of  ornament,  frequently  triangular,  turn 
them  upside  down,  and  attempt  to  fill  out  a  page  half  filled  with 
copy.  Worse  practices  are  prevalent,  of  dropping  in  a  clover 
leaf,  a  dot,  a  small  rose,  a  trefoil  —  perhaps  repeating  it  to  fill 
out  a  line.  These  practices  of  introducing  ornament  hetero- 
geneously  to  fill  out  space  are  distracting  and  tawdry  and  in 
bad  taste.  Silence  is  golden.  Blank  space  is  equally  eloquent. 
Good  form  demands  dignity,  and  the  copy  should  ordinarily 
speak  for  itself.  The  most  pernicious  use  of  ornament  is  in 
its  introduction  into  spaces  of  this  kind  and  on  pages  otherwise 
unblemished.  Ornament  is  effective  only  when  it  is  needed 
and  when  it  bears  a  distinct  relation  to  the  other  materials 
with  which  it  is  used. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

TYPE  PRINCIPLES 

Line  Meanings 

Words  are  abstract  symbols  having  meanings  only  as  we 
have  so  decreed  by  choice  and  use.  Lines  have  much  the  same 
history.  Primitive  races,  in  their  hieroglyphics  and  other 
language  forms,  used  lines  to  express  ideas  of  both  fact  and 
quality.  The  Egyptians  expressed  a  regiment  of  soldiers 
standing  at  rest,  by  a  row  of  vertical  lines.  Grain  and  for- 
ests undisturbed  by  wind  were  represented  in  the  same  way. 
Flat  objects,  such  as  a  river,  prairie,  or  the  ocean,  have  often 
been  represented  by  straight  horizontal  lines :  while  waving 
grain,  ocean  waves,  persons  in  motion,  and  other  activities,  are 
often  recorded  in  oblique  lines.  The  seemingly  inherent  ten- 
dency to  use  lines  to  represent  various  quiet  and  active  posi- 
tions has  led  to  a  feeling  for  these  expressions  in  persons  see- 
ing such  line  forms. 

Lines  may  be  said  to  be  of  two  kinds,  straight  and  curved. 
The  straight  line  is  the  shortest  distance  between  two  points 
and,  as  the  definition  signifies,  it  is  direct,  forceful,  structural, 
determinate  in  its  character  and  feeling.  The  curved  line, 
which  changes  its  direction  at  each  point,  is  less  direct,  non- 
structural, and  decorative  in  its  character.  Furniture  con- 
structed on  curved  lines  has  not  the  same  feeling  of  security  as 
that  built  on  straight  lines.  This  is  equally  true  in  architec- 
tural construction  —  except  in  the  case  of  the  arch. 

Straight  Lines 

A  straight  line  in  a  vertical  position  was  used  by  primitive 
people  to  ex])ress  such  qualities  as  growth,  unrest,  aspiration, 

380 


TYPE  PRINCIPLES  381 

repose  in  gravitation,  and  dignity  of  position.  The  same  line 
when  horizontally  placed  has  indicated  rest,  repose,  sleep,  death, 
and  has  represented  water  level,  flat  land,  and  the  like,  in  con- 
crete forms. 

A  human  figure,  erect,  in  line  with  gravitation,  has  the  same 
significance  as  the  vertical  straight  line,  while  the  same  figure 
horizontally  placed  will  bear  the  same  interpretation  as  the 
horizontal  straight  line.  If,  however,  the  figure  is  in  a  slant- 
ing position,  bending  forward  as  if  to  catch  something,  or  half 
bent  in  rapid  walking  or  running,  it  is  at  once  said  to  be  in  ac- 
tion. There  is  no  repose,  less  dignity,  and  the  feeling  of 
unrest  is  present  at  once.  Out  of  this  feeling  of  action  has 
grown  the  term  "  motion."  The  oblique  straight  line  has  rep- 
resented action.  It  has  the  feeling  of  unrest,  instability,  and 
creates  the  idea  of  lack  of  harmony  with  the  law  of  gravita- 
tion. 

The  structural  lines  of  the  average  room  are  vertical  and  hor- 
izontal, its  angles  right  angles.  Strength,  dignity  and  form  are 
the  result.  A  picture  whose  frame  has  horizontal  and  vertical 
lines  appears  harmonious  upon  the  wall  and  if  wires  are  ex- 
tended from  the  top  corners  in  a  vertical  position  to  two  picture 
hooks  upon  the  molding  these  vertical  lines  are  in  harmonv 
with  the  picture  frame,  doors,  windows,  and  structural  lines  of 
the  room.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  one  wire  is  used,  starting  at 
the  corners  of  the  picture,  and  meeting  at  a  point  with  one 
hook  at  the  wire,  a  triangle  is  created  whose  lines  give  the 
idea  of  motion  or  action  and  destroy  the  unity  of  the  wall. 
They  call  attention  to  themselves  because  of  their  unlikeness  to 
the  situation  in  which  they  find  themselves. 

Curved  Lines 

Curved  lines  are  of  three  classes,  which  should  be  studied 
carefully  that  one  may  feel  at  once  the  significance  and  possi- 
bility in  each  of  the  curves  whenever  it  enters  into  the  con- 


382 


ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 


|[ JBLtf^&mj  $c  &tx. 


an  nounce 


tour  of  any  made  thing.  Curves  seem  easier  to  grasp  in  their 
meaning  in  pottery  and  porcelain  than  in  any  other  field,  al- 
though they  are  active,  of  course,  in  the  structure  of  any  and 
all  kinds  of  type  with  which  we  have  to  deal. 

The  circle  is  a  plane  fig- 
ure bounded  by  a  curved 
line,  every  point  of  which 
is  equally  distant  from  a 
point  within  called  the  cen- 
ter. An  arc  in  this  bound- 
ing line  is  the  most  mo- 
notonous curve  we  have. 
Wherever  it  is  taken,  how- 
ever great  its  magnitude, 
it  changes  its  direction  at 
CN'ery  point  in  exactly  the 
same  way  that  it  does  at 
every  other  point.  Some- 
times, of  course,  this  is  de- 
sirable, but  for  decorative 
purposes  and  subtlety  of 
feeling  the  curve  of  the 
circle  is  less  desirable  than 
the  other  types.  The 
bounding  curve  of  the  el- 
lipse changes  its  direction 
differently  from  one  ex- 
treme of  the  minor  axis  to 
the  adjacent  extreme  of  the 


in 


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SuppIeiiKnting  display*  of  Ute   P»nt  r«sni« 
Amencan  id«** 
nl)ibit«d  only  m  i>i«r  own  S»loo» 


Qy^/^f/? 


ue 


a/  S'^J^ee/ 


J7w^0 


-/T 


Bad  taste  in  mixing  many  types. 
Main  body  of  type  well  chosen  to 
express    fashion's    frivolities 


major  axis,  but  changes  in  a  like  manner  between  the  same 
extreme  of  the  minor  axis  and  the  other  extreme  of  the  major 
axis.  This  curve  is  less  monotonous  than  that  of  the  circle; 
therefore  more  subtle.  The  oval  is  boimded  by  a  cun^e  which 
changes  its  direction  differently  at  every  two  points  between 


TYPE  PRINCIPLES  383 

one  extreme  of  the  major  axis  and  the  other.  This  gives  a 
curve  of  exceeding  grace,  subtlety  and  interest,  and  is  the 
curve  upon  which  the  most  interesting  and  beautiful  curved 
line  objects  are  built. 

This  discussion  of  lines  has  been  given  in  the  hope  that  w^e 
may  see  its  relevancy  to  the  structural  form  of  type  faces,  the 
abstract  symbols  used  to  convey  our  thought. 

Standard  and  Decorative  Types 

The  supreme  importance  of  having  a  knowledge  of  form 
as  a  medium  for  expressing  ideas  has  been  already  discussed. 
In  no  field  is  there  a  greater  chance  for  exploitation  of  this 
idea  than  in  the  field  known  as  "  type  forms."  Every  letter  of 
every  type  should  convey  in  itself  not  only  a  feeling  of  fact 
but  a  feeling  for  quality,  which  no  other  type  of  any  kind 
could  exactly  express. 

In  discussing  this  subject,  let  us  first  see  type,  or  letters, 
divided  into  two  classes,  the  first  class  of  which  we  shall  call 
"  fixed  forms."  By  this  we  mean  such  type  as  has  been  stand- 
ardized and  cast  and  is  used  in  general  book,  newspaper,  maga- 
zine, and  catalogue  work.  Perhaps  those  in  the  most  common 
use  may  be  said  to  be  Roman,  Caslon,  Cheltenham,  John  Han- 
cock, and  Gothic,  and  other  simple  styles  which  are  known  to 
every  printer.  Because  these  are  fixed'  in  form  and  abstract 
in  their  nature  they  are,  of  course,  standardized  in  shape. 
Being  standardized  in  shape  they  are  also  standardized  in 
quality. 

The  Roman  impresses  one  as  angular,  blocked,  structural, 
somewhat  scientific  in  its  shape.  Speaking  of  a  medical  book 
or  a  book  on  electricity,  one  instinctively  feels  Roman  type. 
Caslon  and  Cheltenham  are  capable  of  a  more  decorative  treat- 
ment. The  various  faces  of  each  of  these  types  give  rise  to 
still  greater  possibilities  in  feeling  expression.  Inasmuch  as 
straight,  horizontal  and  vertical  lines  are  used,  the  feeling  for 


384  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

these  lines  should  appear  in  the  type.  Where  slant  lines  appear 
in  any  number  the  feeling  is  changed.  The  kind  and  quality 
and  number  of  curves  involved  materially  change  the  feeling. 
It  should  be  clearly  seen  that  a  sub-division  in  thought  is  neces- 
sary here  into  structural,  or  scientific,  and  decorative  styles. 
When  working  out  a  display  in  which  the  idea,  either  in  object 
or  in  atmosphere,  requires  a  decorative  quality,  even  these  fixed 
forms  of  type  lend  themselves  splendidly  to  the  possibility  of 
such  expression. 

Hand-Made  Type 

If  the  problem  is  one  in  which  the  letters  may  be  hand-made 
or  particularly  made  for  this  special  problem,  the  situation  is 
infinitely  more  interesting.  In  advertising  the  frivolous  ob- 
jects in  theatrical  make-up,  or  woman's  lingerie,  letters  may  be 
constructed  uniting  straight  and  curved  lines  in  such  propor- 
tions that  on  the  presentation  of  the  word  lingerie,  or  theatrical 
make-up,  or  false  Jiair,  one  is  obliged  by  very  virtue  of  the 
letter  form  to  visualize  the  object  advertised.  A  book  treat- 
ing of  wading  birds  should  not  present  its  cover  and  title  page 
in  short,  thick  letters  that  might  be  suited  to  Dutch  tiles  or 
paving  stones. 

The  effort  to  design  type  which  shall  perfectly  suggest  the 
idea  has  been  the  reason  no  dou1>t  for  many  new  types  which 
have  been  put  on  the  market  in  the  last  few  years.  It  should 
be  remembered,  however,  that  not  all  things  new  are  decorative, 
nor  is  it  desirable  to  over-decorate  anything,  even  the  page  on 
which  type  is  the  decorative  feature.  And  it  must  further  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  same  formula  which  expresses  frivolity, 
insincerity,  and  change,  cannot  express  stability,  dignity  and 
repose. 

Historic  and  Modern  Type 

A  further  division  of  type  may  be  made  into  what  may  be 
called  the  historic  and  modern  styles.     The  term  historic  re- 


TYPE  PRINCIPLES  385 

I  Strength 

N 
E 
B 

^  GHEAPNESS 

E 
T 

Y  common  sense 


femininity 

Severity 


Anticuity  dignity 

Showing  how  styles  in  type  suggest  by  their   form  the  prime  quality 
which  they  represent.     (By  courtesy  of  Benjamin  Sherbow.) 

lates  to  periods  already  passed  in  which  type  forms  have  been 
used  to  express  certain  strong  ideals  or  activities  in  much  the 
same  way  that  ornament  has  been  developed.  Old  English 
type,  for  example,  is  the  decorative  Anglican  church  ideal  of 
word  expression,  as  it  relates  to  events,  incidents,  or  occasions 
in  the  religious  life  of  the  time  in  which  it  was  developed.     No- 


386  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

tice  in  what  points  it  is  similar  to  the  Old  German  and  in 
what  it  is  different.  It  will  be  found  to  be  similar  as  to 
curves,  in  number  and  kind,  to  have  a  more  vertical  feeling  and 
generally  a  somewhat  thinner  line. 

Take  any  historic  type  you  know  best  and  you  will  see  by 
comparing  it  with  the  ornament  of  its  time  that  it  bears  a 
somewhat  similar  relation  to  ornament  in  its  meaning.  This  is 
always  true  to  a  greater  extent  when  the  ornament  is  largely 
abstract  instead  of  naturalistic.  The  impersonality  of  orna- 
ment created  out  of  lines  is,  therefore,  related  to  the  imperson- 
ality of  type  created  out  of  the  same  lines  and  expressing  the 
same  general  ideas  of  feeling. 

Modern  types,  like  most  modern  forms  of  expression,  are 
somewhat  mixed  in  their  meaning.  It  is  not  an  uncommon 
thing  to  see  a  large  building  in  a  city  with  Classic,  Gothic, 
Romanesque,  and  even  Byzantine  features  entering  into  its  con- 
struction. In  fact,  you  may  occasionally  see  a  house  in  which 
there  is  a  succession  of  gables  and  arches  in  one  tower  repre- 
senting five  distinct  architectural  schools.  This  is  not  only 
bad  form,  but  an  ignorant  conglomerate.  Care  should  be 
taken  in  selecting  type  to  see  that  it  is  consistent  with  the  sub- 
ject it  purports  to  represent  and  also  that  it  is  consistent  in 
itself,  part  for  part.  The  question  of  cost,  of  course,  enters 
into  the  use  of  hand-type.  When  there  is  a  possibility  of  us- 
ing this  form  of  display  it  is  a  most  desirable  thing  to  do. 

Under  this  head  the  question  of  italics  as  a  means  of  em- 
phasis naturally  presents  itself.  Tradition  has  declared  that 
italics  shall  be  used  to  make  stronger  or  more  forceful  a  word 
or  phrase.  It  seems  well  at  first  to  see  in  what  other  ways 
the  same  effect  may  be  obtained.  A  word  may  be  effectively 
underlined  when  this  is  not  done  too  often.  It  may,  how- 
ever, happen  so  often  that  the  page  becomes  a  spotted  mass. 
Sometimes  a  stronger  type  face  may  be  used,  thereby  empha 
sizing  the  important  word.     If  this  occurs  many  times  the 


TYPE  PRINCIPLES  387 

page  becomes  unbalanced,  or  is  likely  to  express  the  same 
spotted  appearance  as  in  the  use  of  underlining.  Capital  let- 
ters throughout  the  word  produce  the  same  effect,  sometimes 
pleasantly  and  sometimes  awkwardly.  When  any  of  these 
three  forms  of  emphasis  is  used,  however,  greater  strength  is 
certainly  obtained.  In  each  case  the  word  actually  appears 
stronger  for  the  change.  When  italics  are  used,  however;  the 
result  is  quite  different.  The  word  which  is  italicized  is  ac- 
tually weakened,  not  strengthened,  by  the  change  of  type. 
It  will  be  noted,  by  the  way,  that  if  very  many  italicized 


"CRAFTSMAN" 

ITni*  tUrkt  Viltttn*  tm  V.  S.  Pfnt  OHm) 

Furniture  -^  Metal*-work 

Furnishings        ^^^  Leathers 

Fabrics  •    •  Needlework 

arc    on    sale    at    the    warerooms   of    our    associates   in  the 


Illustrating  a  type  whose  feeling  in  form  is  similar  to  the  idea  expressed. 
Trade-mark  well  placed  but  underlining  unessential 

words  appear  on  the  page  the  effect  is  much  the  same  as 
one  sees  on  a  pond  with  very  thin  ice  and  many  holes  made 
by  stones  or  other  missiles.  The  page  as  a  whole  is  greatly 
weakened  by  the  general  use  of  italics. 

It  will  be  seen  from  this  discussion,  surely,  that  an  extrava- 
gant use  of  any  form  of  type  emphasis  is  bad  taste  and  that 
there  may  at  least  be  a  variation  from  the  accepted  form  of 
italic  use. 


388  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

Relation  of  Initials  to  Other  Type 

It  is  desirable  at  this  point  to  consider  the  use  of  initial  let- 
ters in  connection  with  other  type.  Decorative  initials,  or 
initials  which  are  considerably  larger  than  the  rest  of  the  word, 
have  been  considered  in  the  previous  chapter.  Initial  letters 
out  of  all  proportion  to  the  rest  of  the  page  are  not  only  a 
waste  of  space  and  material  but  often  result  in  supreme  ugli- 
ness. It  is  well  to  think  back  to  the  Greek  law  of  areas  and  see 
if  there  cannot  be  some  initial  devised  which  bears  a  compar- 
able relation  to  the  rest  of  the  type  used.  This  inordinate  dif- 
ference in  sizes  is  emphasized  and  made  worse  by  the  extrava- 
gant use  of  ornament  surrounding  such  an  initial.  The  initial 
becomes  less  inappropriately  decorative  if  it  is  made  of  straight 
lines  and  rather  formal  in  appearance  than  when  it  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  mass  or  maze  of  curved  line  ornament.  This 
large  area  of  forestlike  ornamental  stuff  also  unfits  the  observer 
to  see  and  sense  with  any  degree  of  satisfaction  the  decorative 
quality  of  the  type  style  with  which  it  is  used.  Initials  should 
be  in  good  size  relation  to  the  rest  of  the  type,  say  two  or  three 
lines  in  height;  perhaps  a  very  little  larger  than  this,  if  deco- 
rative material  is  used  with  them. 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  section  to  awaken  a  keener  interest 
in  the  possibility  of  the  selection  of  type  when  expressing 
fundamental  ideas  of  quality  in  objects.  Too  long  has  type 
been  —  as  color  has  been  —  just  a  matter  of  like  and  dislike. 
Too  long  have  people  worshiped  at  the  shrine  of  the  indi- 
vidual who  created  the  type.  And  far  too  long  have  printers 
ignored  the  possibility  of  this  form  of  abstract  language  ex- 
pression. If  one  becomes  interested  to  work  out  the  possible 
qualities  which  type  may  express  he  at  once  sees  its  supple- 
mentary power  as  an  element  in  advertising  display.  Surely 
a  larger  harmony  exists  in  any  advertising  layout  when  the 
copy,  the  form,  the  color,  the  illustrations,  the  ornament,  and 
the  type,  speak  the  same  thing  at  the  same  time.     Here  then 


TYPE  PRINCIPLES  389 

are  five  distinct  elements  of  the  language  of  advertising  dis- 
play, each  element  of  which  is  capable  of  its  own  ideas  and 
functions  and  each  capable  of  supplementing  the  ideas  and 
functions  of  each  of  the  others.  Type  is  no  less  important 
than  color  or  form. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

UNITY,  THE  FINAL  TEST  OF  ADVERTISING 
DISPLAY 

Unity  of  Ideas 

A  unit  may  be  defined  as  that  to  which  nothing  can  be  added 
and  from  which  nothing  can  be  taken  without  destroying  the 
idea.  This  makes  the  problem  of  unity  in  advertising  display 
of  the  utmost  importance  when  seen  from  any  viewpoint  what- 
soever. 

The  advertising  manager  or  the  firm  whose  goods  are  under 
consideration  invariably  says  the  test  of  an  advertisement  is 
the  return  in  dollars  and  cents  which  is  realized  from  its  use. 
This  at  least  may  be  said  to  be  one  of  the  tests  of  the  quality 
of  an  advertising  display.  But  even  this  must  be  seen  from 
at  least  two  distinct  viewpoints.  First,  the  fact  that  a  given 
advertisement  has  yielded  a  certain  result  is  no  proof  that  some 
other  or  better  one  would  not  have  yielded  a  greater  result. 
Neither  is  it  proved  that  the  form  of  display  used  for  a  par- 
ticular advertisement  was  better  than  some  other  form  because 
a  certain  commercial  return  has  resulted.  This  makes  the 
question  of  the  real  value  of  any  display  always  an  open  one 
and  one  which  the  fair-minded  man  will  admit  is  worthy  of 
consideration. 

In  the  second  place,  advertising  display  is  a  language  to  be 
used  and  understood  by  everybody.  Not  all  persons  speak 
the  English  language  with  the  same  intelligence:  neither  do  all 
persons  understand  the  meaning  and  arrangement  of  its  vari- 

390 


THE  FINAL  TEST  —  UNITY  391 

ous  word  and  phrase  forms  exactly  alike.  Education  alone 
makes  understanding  clear,  and  association  makes  terms  ex- 
pressive of  similar  ideas.  Because  this  is  so,  a  universal  un- 
derstandmg  of  the  meaning  of  each  element  of  advertising 
display  is  quite  essential  to  a  perfectly  intelligent  use  of  it  in 
the  commercial  world. 

While  it  is  true  that  not  all  people  understand  color,  type 
forms,  illustrations,  ornament,  in  their  full  and  natural  import, 
it  is  equally  true  that  each  of  these  has  a  distmct  and  fixed 
place  in  the  expression  of  ideas  and  that  many  persons  under- 
stand, both  by  feeling  and  intelligence,  some  one  or  more  of 
these  language  elements.  Some  people  know  color,  its  source, 
its  meaning,  its  tonal  arrangement,  its  harmonies,  its  discords, 
its  qualities,  and  their  relationships.  These  persons  under- 
stand this  language  when  correctly  used  and  are  shocked  at  the 
ignorance  of  persons  who  use  it  incorrectly. 

Another  class  of  persons  speak  the  English  tongue  with  some 
considerable  degree  of  accuracy  and  some  measure  of  under- 
standing. They,  in  their  turn,  wonder  at  the  indefinite  jumble 
sometimes  called  advertising  copy.  People  of  refinement  and 
culture  know  by  inheritance  and  by  study  the  source  and  mean- 
ing of  ornament  as  it  expresses  and  has  expressed  the  ideas  in 
history  for  which  it  stands.  Association  has  made  ornament 
talk.  These  persons,  cannot  understand  why  there  is  so  little 
intelligence  used  in  the  selection  in  this  field  when  ornament 
so  adequately  expresses  the  idea  to  be  conveyed.  Illustrators, 
painters,  and  many  other  people,  find  in  picture  language  their 
keenest  representation  of  truth  and  quality.  Why  this  lan- 
guage should  be  mutilated  by  the  whim  of  advertising  artists  or 
by  the  ignorance  of  the  man  who  directs  them  is  beyond  their 
comprehension. 

Finally,  the  sense  for  texture  as  a  means  of  receiving  ideas  is 
not  to  be  ignored  in  estimating  the  value  of  language  elements. 
In  short,  it  must  be  clear  to  any  reasoning  m.an  that  a  thorough 


392  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

knowledge  of  the  power  of  each  of  these  language  elements  is 
essential  before  we  can  compute  or  attempt  to  compute  the 
effect  any  advertising  display  will  have  on  any  person  or  any 
class  of  persons  to  whom  we  wish  to  appeal. 

Psychological  Reasons  for  Unity 

A  knowledge  of  psychology  or  a  knowledge  of  how  human 
beings  think  and  act  in  different  conditions,  under  different  cir- 
cumstances, is  the  closest  possible  accessory  to  an  understand- 
ing of  the  field  of  display.  Display  exists  for  persons.  It  ex- 
ists for  the  mind.  It  attempts  to  present  ideas  in  such  a  way 
that  the  mind  will  behave  as  we  desire  to  have  it  behave.  It 
is  evident,  then,  that  a  knowledge  of  the  mind  is  as  essential  as 
the  knowledge  of  display.  A  closer  correlation  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  choice  and  arrangement  with  the  study  of  psychology 
is  the  only  way  to  use  either  effectively. 

One  of  the  greatest  faults  with  modern  advertising  in  any 
form,  from  the  short  newspaper  ad  to  the  largest  window  dis- 
play, is  the  attempt  to  express  too  many  ideas  at  one  time,  in 
too  small  a  space.  The  multiplicity  of  ideas  in  a  short  adver- 
tisement in  a  small  place  and  the  exaggerated  heaps  of  rubbish 
that  appear  in  our  window  displays  are  but  evidences  of  the 
fact  that  few  recognize  the  importance  of  isolating  ideas  we 
wish  to  have  the  human  being  grasp.  Neither  facts  nor  quali- 
ties can  be  grasped  l)y  a  human  being  when  they  appear  in  del- 
uges. This  is  particularly  true  of  the  class  of  persons  to  whom 
the  deluge  is  usually  presented.  Some  there  are,  indeed,  who 
have  sufficient  sense  not  to  do  this  in  high-class  advertising. 
Few  there  be,  however,  who  have  seen  far  enough  to  be  con- 
vinced that  the  so-called  lower  classes  have  probably  no  more 
power  of  immediate  comprehension  or  present  isolation  than 
the  so-called  upper  classes.  Just  why  people  who  are  herded 
together  in  droves  in  dirty  tenements  should  be  obliged  to  re- 
ceive all  their  information   from  the  outside  world  through 


THE  FINAL  TEST  —  UNITY  393 


Hail  Craftsmen! 

Ever  and  anon,  and  sometimes  oftener.  the  Club  of  Pnntmg  House 
Craftsmen  foregather  m  friendly  fashion  for  the  good  of  their  craft  and 
the  preservation  of  their  immortal  souls  Tomorrow  Thursday  Nov- 
ember 21  IS  the  next  date  and  you  will  be  there  or  forfeit  all  right 
to  your  hope  of  a  cool  hereafter  You  will  stnp  off  your  dignity, 
forget    all    your    troubles,   sidestep  your   cares — and    be    real    happy 

In  plain  New  York,  you'll  have  a  good  time  And  to  get  just  the  proper 
effect  of  light  and  shade,  shadow  and  substance,  you  U  listen  to  a  Man 
with  a  Message.  He  is  Frank  .Mvah  Parsons  president  of  the  New  York 
School  of  Fine  and  .■\pplied  Arts  author  of  Principles  of  Advertising 
Arrangement  ■  lecturer  before  the  Advertising  Men  s  League  of  New 
York   City   and  Craftsman   ol    High    Degree      His   message    concerns 

The  Meaning  and  Importance  of  Choice 
and    Arrangement    of    Material    in    Printing 

And   whilf   the    titlt    is    invoUed.   thr  And  buries  deep  some  pet  hobbies  that 

message    will    be    straight     plain    and  have  ruled  too  long  in  printing  and  pub- 

pointed,  delivered   in  Mr    Parsons    in  lishing  shops 

imitable -style —  i      .u  .  i.  .  • 

'  In    their    place    he    puts  some  clean. 

Which    gets    across    and   sticks    in  the  straight   sane  ideas — constructive  criti- 

mind  o(  the  hearer  to  his  lasting  benefit  rism  of  the  highest  character 

Mr    Parsons  puts   the  kibosh    on    over  You'll     like     Parsons,    you'll     like    and 

display    unbalanced   arrangement    mis-  learn  from  his  talk    you  11  meet   the  fel- 

directed    emphasis,    unrelated    and    ir-  lows   again,    you'll    certainly    like    the 

relevant  ornamentation,  underscoring —  dinner,  the  smokes  and  the  good  music. 

Why  say  Craftsman  you  are  going  to  have  the  evening  of  your  life' 
Unless  you  re  the  old  onginal  light  wad.  you'll  loosen  up  to  the  tune 
of  52  00  per  and  you  II  make  some  friend  happy  by  bringing  him,  too. 

Tomorrow  (Thursday)  Evening,  Cafe  Boulevard 
Second  Avenue  and  Tenth  Street,  at  7:30  o'Clock 


A  perfect  arrangement  of  material  well  placed  in  sequence  following 
to  a  logical  conclusion  the  principles  of  consistent  structural  arrange- 
ment, balanced  placing  and  consistent  shapes 

correspondingly  unclean  channels  is  impossible  to  understand. 
Even  "  poor  folks  "  can  appreciate  a  clean  spot,  a  clearly  ex- 
pressed idea,  and  a  decent  arrangement  of  it.     Many  of  them 


394  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

are  forced  into  their  present  condition  and  their  intelhgence  is 
superior  to  their  physical  surroundings. 

If  more  than  one  idea  is  presented,  at  least  there  must  be  a 
close  relationship  between  these  ideas.  One  idea  must  be  of 
supreme  importance  and  all  others  presented  in  a  logical  way, 
in  a  perfect  sequence,  with  no  distracting  ones  which  operate 
to  destroy  the  order  for  which  the  whole  advertisement 
exists. 

Selection  of  Elements 

It  has  been  shown  in  each  section  of  this  part  how  possible 
it  is  even  with  co-ordinated  ideas  to  destroy  this  co-ordination 
by  a  wrong  choice  and  an  injudicious  arrangement  of  things 
chosen.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  not  every  element  of  ad- 
vertising display  is  essential  to  any  one  advertisement.  Many 
times  copy  is  sufficient.  Frequently  copy  and  illustration  are 
a  plenty.  Very  often  copy,  illustration  and  color  are  final. 
In  short,  do  not  use  every  known  element  to  express  every  one 
idea,  but  judiciously  choose  which  of  these  elements  is  best 
suited  to  the  idea  and  most  emphatic  and  convincing  in  its 
use  to  express  the  idea.  Having  decided  w^hat  elements  to  use, 
let  these  elements  be  in  perfect  unity  each  with  the  other. 
Also  let  these  elements  be  in  unity  with  the  idea  to  be  expressed. 
This  forms  a  logical  arrangement  with  which  human  con- 
sciousness can  deal  in  a  normal  manner. 

Too  much  cannot  be  said  in  favor  of  a  knowledge  of  the 
principles  of  form  in  advertising  display.  No  matter  in  what 
field  a  man  works,  the  best  of  intentions  are  often  wrecked  in 
the  process  of  use.  It  is  true  too  that  the  choice  in  any  field 
of  material  may  be  excellent  and  the  arrangement  entirely  un- 
successful. Too  well  we  all  know  how  easily  a  room  may  be 
made  a  pandemonium  l)y  the  wrong  arrangement  of  furniture 
or  pictures  on  the  wall.  There  is  even  more  hopeless  confusion 
often  in  the  working  out  of  electric  signs,  and  bill-boards,  and 


THE  FINAL  TEST  — UNITY 


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Newspaper  page  with  an  ideal  arrangement  for  attention,  interest,  and 
space  distribution 

such  mixed  erratic  placings  as  are  found  in  some  magazine  and 
newspaper  advertising. 

The  Economic  Necessity  of  Form  and  Arrangement 

The  slightest  knowledge  of  hfe  makes  clear  the  positive 
necessity  for  organization  and  arrangement  in  any  material 
thing.  Let  a  man  who  doubts  this  investigate  any  field,  and 
he  finds  himself  unable  to  grasp  or  explain  the  situation  unless 
there  is  an  apparent  organized  arrangement  of  everything 
which  is  presented  to  him.  In  no  other  field  is  this  more  essen- 
tial than  in  that  of  advertising  display.  This  is  the  one  field  in 
which  we  expect  persons  of  all  degrees  of  intelligence  easily  to 
grasp,  be  deadly  interested  in,  and  positively  convinced  of  our 


u  fyi/A-^^ST^      ^ 


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"^^'J 


Thanksgiving  Specials 

At  Radical  Price  Reductions  For  This  Weeic 

Dining 
Table 

»8.98 


SW    QW  DININC  BOOM  CHAIR  PRICES  REDUCED    C^v  «ftA 


PRINCESS  OWTntS  STANDARD  OUTTITS  REGAL  OUTFITS 

Three  Itooms  '65  t'V-t,  Four  Rooms  '125  u'JirX    Five  Rooms  195  i'w^» 
7k4  TTeek  Puts  This  Combinatioii  High  Grade  Coal  and 
Gas  Range,  Big  Warming  Cioset  as  Shown,  in  Your  Home 


l^Pten  GranllCHVt  Stt  Fretwith  my  Stove  at  SIS  A 


This  is  tlie  unorganized   page  with   illustrations   in  excess  of  ideas 

Two  arrangements  on   opposite   pages   in   a   Sunday   paper.     See  the 
geneous  conglomerate 

396 


Advertising  Does  Not  Add 
to  the  Retail  Cost  of  Goods 

Intelligently  Applied  to  Business,  It  Reduces  the  Selling  Price 
of  Merchandise   and  Increases  the  Profits  of  the  Advertiser 

Once  upon  a  time — not  so  many  years  ago — a  certam  merchant 
kept  a  sign  in  his  window  stating  that  he  could  afford  to  sell  his 
goods  at  lower  prices  than  his  neighbors  because  he  did  not  spend 
money  for  advertising 

That  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  an  admission  that  he  did  not  know  how 

to  intelligently  apply  advertising  to  his  business  For  years  he  seemed  successfully  to  defy  the  march 
of  advertising  progress  He  stubbornly  insisted  that  advertising  was  an  expense  Eventually,  othen 
handling  the  same  lines  of  goods  crowded  in  about  him. 


He  felt  secure  because  his  store  had  been  estab- 
lished since  before  the  stirnng  days  of  the  Civil 
War  Kehadalargefollomngthatwasapparently 
loyal  to  him  But  his  new  competitors  were  keen, 
persistent ad\'ertisers  Inthecourseofafewyears. 
some  of  them  did  as  much  business  as  he.  Their 
merchandise  was  as  good  as  his  and  they  actually 
met  his  prices  Sometimes  they  annoyingly  went 
below  his  figures  It  is  a  fact  that  they  accom 
pbshedm  five  years,  by  the  use  of  intelligent  news- 


paper advertising  as  much  as  he  and  his  father 
before  him  had  accomphshed  m  half  a  century 
Although  he  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  advertising 
men  who  approached  him.  and  lost  his  temper  on 
occasions,  the  pressure  became  too  great  and  he 
was  finally  forced  to  yield.  He  t>ecame  an 
advertiser  And  be  regrets  that  he  did  not  sur- 
render years  before — at  a  time  when  newspaper 
advertising  began  to  be  recognized  aa  an  Agent  of 
economy  in  business  instead  of  an  added  expense. 


Who  Pays  for  the  Advertising? 


Advertising  cos*j  inon*y  of  coursa  and  there  must  b«  wme 
€«sUy  i.ndt?rslood  explanation  why  it  is  not  an  expense—  why 
It  does  not  add  to  thi 


fcitellijent  ti 
dise  m  ana 
points  tb«  1 


wspaper  advert isirgdescn 
i)  u)  ISiv  door  of  thf  rr.ar 

othou$ands  upon  ihousaodsof 


An  Associated  Press  dispatch  from  CamDrKlge.    iiast     UTt: 


(or  i 


It  creat« 
desire*     Tht 


bt(t  renins  days 


f  there  osed  t 


it  to  satisfy  these  desir 
creased  demind  back  upon  the  manafactiift 
prosperity  follow* 


thereoy  increasing'  t 


district  one  of  the  treat  n 
such  as  floor  space  light,  t 


Then 


Tiparatively 


nufacturer  who  nas  goods  to  sel 
The  'etailer  whc  has  goods  to  seU  to  tij 
Cannot  wis«:>  dc  witnoui  advenising 
For  the  first  n  creule!"  distribution. 
For  the  ieconu  it  provides  cuswmers  a 
By  cumulative  effect  worKs;tse  f  ii 


King  lower 
■  JUKI— 


The  Plain  Dealer — With  Its  Great   Army  of  Thrifty    Readers— Is  Invalaable  to 
tht  Merchant  or  Manufacturer   V/ho   Wants  to  Advertise  intelligently  in  Cleveland 

The  Plain  De  aler 

First  Newspaper  of  Cleveland.  Sixth  City 


The   organized  and   structural   page,   readable  and   understandal  le 

effect  of  an   established,  dignified  arrangement   in  contrast  to  a  hetero- 

397 


398  ADVERTISING  DISPLAY 

viewpoint,  whatever  it  may  be.  Granting  this,  it  is  not  difficult 
to  see  how  important  are  the  principles  of  advertising  arrange- 
ment. It  must  be  remembered  too  that  not  all  principles  in  any 
field  are  alike  operative  at  the  same  time,  and  that  the  slavish  or 
unintelligent  following  of  principle  results  sometimes  in  defeat. 
It  must  also  be  remembered,  that  in  the  judicious  choice  and 
application  of  principle  is  success,  and  that  violations  can  only 
be  safely  made  by  him  who  understands  how  to  follow  the  very 
rules  he  violates. 

If  the  final  test  of  display  is  the  commercial  return,  advertis- 
ing display  is  an  economic  question.  It  is  desirable  to  save 
space,  material,  time,  and  also  the  mind  power  used  in  prepar- 
ing the  display  offered  the  public.  Whatever,  therefore,  con- 
tributes to  redundancy,  where  simplicity  will  do  the  work,  is  an 
economic  waste.  Whatever  appears  that  is  not  absolutely 
essential  in  matters  of  appeal,  interest  and  conviction,  is  worse 
than  useless  and  therefore  an  economic  as  well  as  a  psycholog- 
ical fault.  Whatever  is  not  wisely  chosen  as  the  best  method 
of  expressing  ideas  will  fail  to  give  the  most  perfect  results; 
therefore,  this  badly  chosen  material  is  economically  wrong. 
Human  intelligence  is  fairlv  busy  in  these  strenuous  days  tak- 
ing ideas,  assimilating  them,  and  attempting  to  use  them  in 
life's  activities.  It  needs  the  most  careful  consideration  as  to 
what  these  ideas  are,  what  \w\\\  best  express  them  and  how  this 
expression  can  best  be  presented  to  consciousness.  A  knowl- 
edge of  this  is  a  knowledge  of  advertising  display. 


PART  V 

THE  PHYSICAL  FACTORS 
IN  ADVERTISING 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

ADVERTISING  MANAGER  —  AGENT  —  PUBLISHER 

Advertising  Manager 

As  has  been  said  previously,  advertising  is  not  a  funda- 
mental science,  neither  does  it  use  any  new  fundamental  prin- 
ciples. It  is  a  compound,  assembling  the  factors  of  a  number 
of  old  principles  in  some  new  combinations  so  that  it  repre- 
sents a  new  application  and  condition. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  is  obvious  that  the  advertising 
man  who  would  be  well  grounded  in  regard  to  all  the  require- 
ments of  his  work,  needs  a  breadth  of  training  which  will  in- 
clude all  the  fundamentals  represented  in  the  new  applications 
he  is  obliged  to  make  and  which  will  enable  him  to  survey  some- 
what carefully  a  wide  field. 

Considering  the  importance  of  advertising  in  establishing 
good-will,  the  discussion  which  goes  on  from  time  to  time  as 
to  the  way  in  which  it  is  valuable  in  this  direction  should  be 
considered  in  estimating  the  influence  of  advertising  upon  mar- 
keting in  general,  and  the  influence  of  markets  upon  advertis- 
ing. The  economics  of  distribution  and  of  competition  must 
be  understood,  as  well  as  the  importance  of  the  human  nature 
appeal.  A  sympathetic  understanding  as  to  the  position  of 
the  sales  department  is  required.  In  fact,  it  is  obvious  that 
the  preliminary  training  of  the  advertising  man  should  be 
almost  as  wide  as  marketing  itself.  It  should,  therefore,  take 
up  the  fundamental  principles  of  all  branches  of  business  and 
in  addition  provide  something  of  the  fundamentals  of  mass 
psychology,  of  written  expression,  and  of  art  arrangement. 

401 


402  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

This  is  no  small  matter  and  needs  a  training  at  least  as  severe 
as  that  required  lor  any  other  profession. 

Literary  Requirements 

It  is  evident  that  the  man  who  must  depend  for  his  entire 
success  upon  his  ability  to  influence  large  masses  of  people  at 
the  same  time,  must  have  a  knowledge  of  the  art  of  written 
language.  This,  in  fact,  is  one  of  the  items  in  connection  with 
the  advertising  business  in  regard  to  which  the  information 
of  the  advertising  man  must  be  detailed  and  specific.  Only  so 
much  value  can  be  taken  out  of  the  advertising  campaign  as 
can  be  put  into  the  expression  of  the  advertisements.  The 
advertising  man,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  has  a  most  difficult  lit- 
erary task  in  front  of  him.  He  must  take  what  are  to  him 
com.monplace  items,  and  invest  them  with  an  interest  second 
only  to  the  interest  of  the  reading  pages  in  conjunction  with 
which  they  are  to  be  seen.  As  the  competition  between  ad- 
vertisements grows  keener,  the  advertising  page  which  hopes 
to  attract  attention  will  be  obliged  to  develop  an  interest  beyond 
the  interest  developed  by  the  reading  pages. 

The  advertising  man,  however,  must  be  prepared  to  do  this 
without  the  liberty  as  to  space,  subject,  etc.,  which  are  accorded 
the  fiction  and  special  writer.  He  is  confronted  with  a  space 
already  defined,  frequently  inadequate,  and  at  any  rate,  admit- 
ting of  no  change.  His  subject  is  determined  for  him,  and,  in 
fact,  even  the  arguments  which  he  must  use.  With  these  diffi- 
culties he  must  be  able  to  impress  the  imagination  of  the  hearer 
so  as  to  induce  action. 

Editorial  Capacity 

Allied  to  the  literary  or  writing  capacity,  the  advertising 
man  must  have  the  editorial  capacity  which  enables  him  to 
judge  of  the  merits  of  the  different  methods  of  presentation 
and  arrangement,  their  harmony  and  applicability,  and  in  this 


ADVERTISING  MANAGER  403 

respect,  again,  the  requirements  of  his  business  are  much 
greater  than  those  of  any  other  writer. 

All  writers  in  other  fields  are  permitted  and  expected  to 
pass  their  manuscripts  into  some  other  hands  for  editing,  and 
the  editor  is  not  expected  to  becloud  his  own  judgment  by  con- 
stant writing.  In  the  case  of  the  advertising  man,  however, 
he  must  write  and  then  judge  what  he  has  written.  Even  when 
he  ceases  to  write  the  actual  copy,  he  must  produce  the  argu- 
ments, the  limitations,  the  general  situation,  and  then  judge  of 
their  validity. 

Further,  the  editorial  requirements  of  his  work  necessitate 
thorough  familiarity  with  limitations  of  make-up,  typography, 
space,  with  the  requirements  of  the  engraving,  etc.  He  must 
be  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  attitude  of  the  audience  he 
wants  to  reach.  He  must  be  able  to  sense  the  applicability  of 
the  particular  article,  piece  of  copy,  or  other  written  message 
to  the  purpose  he  has  in  view. 

Closely  allied  and  tied  down  to  an  organization,  either 
from  the  manufacturing,  agency  or  publishing  standpoint,  he 
must  be  able  to  project  himself  into  the  other  side  of  the  case 
and  measure  the  possibilities  of  his  work  in  terms  of  the  public 
interest.  Not  only  is  this  true,  but  he  must  be  prepared  for  the 
criticism  which  is  accorded  to  any  public  work,  inasmuch  as  his 
own  mistakes  cannot  be  concealed,  his  errors  of  judgment  are 
made  at  large,  and  he  cannot  at  any  time  hope  to  escape  for 
long  the  public  consequences  of  his  own  act. 

Artistic  Perception 

It  is  not  enough,  however,  for  the  advertising  man  to  be  an 
expert  at  written  language ;  with  the  foregoing  difificulties,  he 
must  also  possess  trained  judgment  as  to  the  artistic  surround- 
ings of  the  message  and  the  character  of  the  illustration  which 
must  be  used  in  connection  with  it.  He  must  thoroughly  un- 
derstand the  principles  of  arrangement,  the  history,  general 


404  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

character  and  purpose  of  the  ordinary  means  of  decoration, 
border,  etc.,  the  different  methods  of  engraving  and  their  ar- 
tistic limitations.  He  must  know  definitely  the  association  of 
ideas  between  certain  types,  borders,  methods  of  decoration, 
and  illustration  and  must  be  equally  familiar  with  the  subject 
matter  which  can  go  with  them. 

Considering  the  universality  of  the  picture,  a  knowledge  of 
the  art  surroundings  is  second  only  to  the  knowledge  of  written 
expression  in  connection  with  the  advertising  man's  work. 
Lack  of  judgment  upon  this  point  may  indeed  destroy  the  value 
of  the  written  message  by  taking  the  interest  away  from  the 
message  or  destroying  it. 

Analytical  Work 

As  though  the  foregoing  requirements  were  not  sufficient 
for  one  average  human  being  to  become  proficient  in,  the  ad- 
vertising man  must  add  to  these  a  capacity  for  analysis,  which 
is  rarely  to  be  found  in  combination  with  the  previously  men- 
tioned talents.  The  economic  side  of  advertising  governs  his 
operating  side  and  he  must  be  prepared  to  analyze  the  funda- 
mental business  conditions,  possibilities,  and  returns,  before  he 
can  determine  the  value  of  his  own  work  or  hope  to  repeat  it 
successfully.  This  part  of  the  work  is  somewhat  removed 
from  the  requirements  previously  stated  and  is  naturally  the 
part  of  the  work  for  which  the  writer,  the  editor,  and  the 
psychologist  are  least  prepared. 

As  a  consequence  of  this  lack  of  technical  preparation,  the 
business  man  has  generally  considered  the  advertising  man  to 
be  lacking  in  business  knowledge  just  as  the  advertising  man 
has  considered  the  business  man  as  devoid  of  imagination. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  business  man  is  accustomed  to  speak 
in  the  language  of  economics,  whereas  the  writer  and  editor 
are  accustomed  to  speak  in  the  language  of  human  nature  inter- 
est.    The  business  man  has  not  yet  begun  to  realize  the  eco- 


ADVERTISING  MANAGER  405 

nomic  effect  of  the  human  nature  factors,  so  that  he  cannot 
translate  the  things  which  are  spoken  ni  that  language  into 
his  own;  and  it  must  be  said  of  the  advertising  man  that  he 
has  usually  been  so  little  trained  in  economics  that  he  has  been 
unable  to  translate  the  business  man's  statements  into  his  own 
language. 

There  has  thus  far  been  an  incompatibility  between  the  busi- 
ness end  and  the  advertising  end,  due  not  so  much  to  a  lack  of 
appreciation  of  values,  as  to  the  lack  of  understanding  arising 
from  the  difference  in  the  expression  and  points  of  view.  In- 
asmuch as  the  advertising  man's  is  the  newer  department  of 
business,  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  become  acquainted  with  the 
older  and  standard  language  of  business,  the  language  of  eco- 
nomics and  analysis,  so  that  the  work  (which  he  knows  can 
be  accomplished  by  the  human  nature  interest)  is  translated 
into  the  factors  which  the  business  man  understands  and  to 
which  he  will  pay  attention. 

If  there  has  been  one  point  more  than  another  in  regard  to 
w^hich  the  advertising  man  has  failed  to  fulfil  the  requirements 
of  his  position,  it  has  been  in  the  analysis  of  the  various  fac- 
tors entering  into  his  work  and  their  translation  into  charts, 
figures,  and  economic  data  which  can  be  understood  by  any 
business  man. 

Executive  Powers 

The  popular  conception  of  the  man  who  is  able  to  command 
the  written  expression,  to  exercise  judgment  upon  art.  etc  ,  does 
not  give  him  much  credit  for  talent  in  the  direction  of  execu- 
tive capacity,  and  yet  the  advertising  man  who  would  grow 
beyond  a  subordinate  position  must  of  necessity  possess  execu- 
tive powers  and  be  able  to  use  them  thoroughly. 

It  is  necessary  for  him  to  have  learned  the  handling  of  men. 
so  that  he  will  be  able  to  organize  his  subordinate?,  to  main- 
tain discipline  among  them,  and  at  the  same  time  to  hold  to  tb^^ 


406  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

atmosphere  of  democratic  co-operation  which  is  so  necessary 
to  the  proper  development  of  the  particular  kmd  of  talent  re- 
quired in  an  advertismg  organization. 

Furthermore,  he  must  possess  the  capacity  for  relieving 
himself  of  the  detail  necessary  to  the  accomplishment  of  a  piece 
of  work,  and  know  when  to  forget  the  matter.  His  judgment 
must  extend  over  all  the  things  which  his  subordinates  are 
required  to  do,  so  that  he  can  with  equal  justice  determine  their 
value  in  respect  to  all  operations.  He  must  be  able  to  analyze 
the  units  of  his  organization  so  that  his  control  of  it  is  not 
based  upon  mere  assumptions,  snap  judgment,  or  occasional 
examinations,  but  is  based  upon  a  continual  knowledge  of 
what  is  being  done  and  to  what  extent  it  is  valuable. 

Response  to  Public  Sentiment 

All  the  w^ork  of  the  advertising  man  is  based  upon  the  estab- 
lishing or  the  crystallizing  of  public  sentiment  in  respect  to  a 
particular  proposition.  Only  in  so  far  as  this  is  accomplished 
can  the  work  of  the  advertising  man  show  in  the  economic  con- 
dition of  the  business.  This  means  that  of  all  the  studies 
which  must  form  a  part  of  his  work,  the  most  vital  is  the  study 
of  public  sentiment. 

In  this  connection  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  he 
should  not  only  sense  the  possibilities  of  change  or  fixity  in 
the  sentiment  of  the  public  in  regard  to  his  proposition,  but  he 
must  know  these  things  in  a  sufficiently  analytical  way  to  make 
it  possible  for  him  to  refer  back  to  the  analysis  for  the  solution 
of  other  problems. 

Every  man  who  has  a  capacity  for  written  expression  and 
editorial  judgment  possesses  in  a  greater  or  lesser  degree  the 
sense  of  public  sentiment  and  the  demand  of  the  public  interest. 
H  this  sense  be  used  in  an  analytical  way  and  the  results  of  its 
use  determined  with  corresponding  analysis,  it  is  possible  to 
control  the  matter  so  that  the  factors  already  demonstrated  can 


ADVERTISING  MANAGER  407 

be  used  in  connection  with  almost  any  problem  of  the  case. 
It  is  somewhat  important  that  this  matter  of  response  to 
public  appeal,  which  is  the  kernel  of  the  whole  advertising  busi- 
ness, should  be  examined  in  a  more  scientific  way,  so  that  it 
can  be  controlled  more  definitely.  When  the  value  of  each  in- 
dividual piece  of  advertising  varies  so  widely,  it  is  evident  that 
the  control  is  very  indefinite  and  uncertain. 

Duties 

The  advertising  manager  in  the  manufacturers'  organization 
or  his  equivalent  in  any  other  organization,  is  the  man  who  has 
charge  of  all  operations  of  the  selling  forces  which  lie  outside 
those  used  by  the  salesmen.  The  advertising  manager,  there- 
fore, is  the  man  who  is  using  the  machine  method  of  selling  as 
against  the  hand  method  necessary  to  the  sales  organization. 
He  is  the  man  who  must  treat  selling  in  the  mass,  and  his  work 
partakes  of  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  such  treatment. 

To  put  the  matter  briefly,  the  advertising  manager  is  re- 
sponsible for  the  estimation,  the  planning,  and  the  carrying  out 
of  the  advertising  necessary  in  connection  with  any  business, 
including  the  economic  considerations  which  enter  into  the  esti- 
mate and  plan,  the  knowledge  of  media,  copy,  art  work,  make- 
up, returns,  etc.,  which  enter  into  the  operation;  he  must  have 
the  knowledge  of  selling  which  will  adjust  these  to  the  sales 
organization  and  the  consideration  of  the  results  which  are  ob- 
tained therefrom. 

The  requirements  which  have  been  previously  stated  prac- 
tically illustrate  the  duties  which  devolve  upon  him. 

In  many  cases  these  requirements  have  not  been  thoroughly 
understood  or  the  exponent  of  the  matter  has  fallen  short  so 
that  his  work  has  been  limited  to  very  much  narrower  outlines 
than  those  suggested. 

In  some  organizations  the  duties  of  the  advertising  man  are 
confined  to  the  consideration  of  media,  the  writing  of  copy,  the 


408  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

carrying  out  of  the  schedule  and  the  placing  of  the  advertising 
contracts.  This,  however,  is  incidental  to  the  growth  of  busi- 
ness and  as  the  value  of  advertising  forces  is  understood  more 
thoroughly,  so  that  their  fundamental  requirements  are  deter- 
mined more  exactly,  the  duties  of  the  advertising  manager  will 
be  correspondingly  increased  to  cover  all  the  items  stated. 

Advertising  Agencies 

Nothing  so  illustrates  the  recent  growth  in  the  advertising 
field  as  the  change  in  the  position,  the  functions,  the  character 
and  the  size  of  the  advertising  agent.  The  advertising  agent 
occupies  what  might  be  termed  a  dual  position  in  the  advertis- 
ing field.  In  respect  to  one  of  his  functions,  he  is  a  broker, 
jobber  or  commission  agent.  He  collects  or  takes  care  of  or- 
ders from  a  number  of  customers,  clears  them  through  his  own 
organization,  and  passes  them  out  again  to  a  number  of  other 
people,  as  do  commission  agents  in  other  well-established  busi- 
nesses in  merchandizing.  In  another  part  of  his  organization, 
he  acts  as  a  service  bureau,  operating  to  take  care  of  his  clients' 
interests  by  means  of  special  services  for  which  he  makes  no 
charge  excepting  the  charge  contained  in  the  commission  he  is 
allowed  by  the  publisher. 

This  position  is  a  natural  outgrowth  of  the  original  position 
of  the  advertising  agent.  In  the  beginning  the  advertising 
agent  was  merely  a  space  broker ;  in  other  words,  he  was  a  free 
lance  commission  man  who  was  able  to  secure  advertising;  he 
was  a  salesman,  carrying  a  number  of  lines  —  a  number  of  pa- 
pers —  and  securing  the  advertising  for  all  the  different  papers 
with  which  he  had  connections. 

As  this  commission  agent,  this  space  broker,  passed  on  his 
rounds,  striving  to  induce  the  reluctant  manufacturer  to  adver- 
tise, he  discovered  that  the  manufacturer  when  he  could  adver- 
tise to  some  extent  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  the  space  — 
how  to  get  the  value  of  it.     The  space  broker,  coming  in  con- 


ADVERTISING  AGENCIES  409 

tact  with  many  conditions,  accumulated  ideas  as  to  copy  and 
space;  so  he  gave  the  customer  his  own  experience  on  these 
Hnes.  He  found  it  worth  while  to  express  opmions  upon  the 
mediums  —  to  suggest  this  medium  instead  of  that.  In  con- 
nection with  the  space  brokerage,  therefore,  there  grew  up  an 
added  service  on  copy  and  medium  ideas  for  which  he  made 
no  charge.  This  was  very  valuable,  as  few  manufacturers  at 
that  time  had  any  one  in  their  employ  specializing  upon  that 
particular  subject. 

As  time  went  on,  the  service  department  of  the  advertising 
agent  began  to  be  his  big  talking  point;  so  much  so  that  the 
agency  has  to  some  extent  lost  sight  of  the  fact  that  it  is  paid 
by  the  publisher,  and  it  now  makes  its  great  play  upon  its  serv- 
ices to  the  advertiser. 

Functions 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  advertiser  is  not  the  client  of  the 
advertising  agent  in  the  generally  accepted  term.  The  client 
of  the  lawyer  is  the  man  who  retains  him  and  pays  his  bill. 
The  man  who  selects  his  advertising  agent  does  not  pay  his 
bill  except  indirectly ;  the  agent  is  paid  by  the  commission  from 
the  publisher. 

In  giving  the  service  which  has  grown  up  with  the  space 
brokerage  the  agent  has  accumulated  valuable  data.  He  has  a 
knowledge  of  media.  He  has  acquired  this  knowledge  through 
the  conducting  of  many  different  campaigns,  and  each  cam- 
paign has  added  a  little  to  his  experience  and  information,  so 
that  if  he  has  recorded  it  there  is  no  reason  w'hy  he  should  not 
possess  valuable  information  on  the  point. 

Because  of  the  fact  that  the  advertising  agency  has  been 
called  upon  by  competition  to  provide  certain  items  of  service 
for  the  advertiser,  he  has  developed  an  organization  which 
would  take  care  of  such  items  with  the  least  possible  expendi- 
ture compatible  with  the  required  results.     The  most  important 


4IO  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

parts  of  his  organization  are,  of  course,  the  copy  or  production 
department,  the  rate  and  checking  department  and  the  business 
getting  department. 

Service  theories  have  been  evolved  in  respect  to  the  agency 
organization  which  have  all  the  appearance  of  being  accurately 
built  to  fit  the  final  conditions,  but  which  have  little  relation  to 
the  precise  reasons  for  the  organization  development.  There 
has  been  a  good  deal  of  discussion  of  late  years  as  to  the  rela- 
tive merits  of  the  large  agency  organization  and  the  small 
agency  organization.  The  small  agency  argues  that  the  service 
is  a  matter  between  the  particular  parties  and  the  advertiser, 
and  consequently  is  only  to  be  determined  properly  from  the 
small  organization  standpoint,  where  two  or  three  individuals 
do  all  the  work. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  large  organizations  say  that  service 
is  not  an  individual  matter  but  is  better  undertaken  by  the  ac- 
cumulation of  experience  and  education  secured  by  the  num- 
bers of  individuals  found  in  the  larger  agencies. 

Both  sides  claim  that  the  theories  on  organization  were  the 
governing  ideas  which  induced  them  to  dexelop  or  restrict  the 
tendency  in  their  own  business.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
agency  organizations  are  the  result  of  the  conditions  in  the 
business.  At  best,  the  theories  were  formulated  after  the  or- 
ganizations were  finished.  The  first  demand  for  service  and 
still  the  greatest  demand  for  service  made  upon  the  agent  is  the 
demand  for  copy.  This  copy,  as  it  is  represented  by  the  aver- 
age requirement  of  the  manufacturer  who  is  dealing"  with  an 
article  of  general  consumption  and  with  little  or  no  technical 
appeal,  is  secured  most  cheaply  and  probably  most  effectively 
by  the  employment  of  a  number  of  men  who  are  more  effecti\'e 
along  certain  specified  lines  of  copy  than  in  other  fields. 

Furthermore,  so  long  as  the  service  is  to  ])e  confined  largely 
to  copy,  the  profits  of  an  advertising  agency  lie  very  distinctly 
along  the  lines  of  a  large  organization.     Consequently,  many 


ADVERTISING  AGENCIES  411 

of  the  better  known  and  most  successful  advertising  agencies 
have  large  organizations. 

Of  late  years  as  the  advertising  competition  has  increased, 
and  as  the  competition  among  agencies  has  increased,  the  de- 
mand for  service  has  grown  more  and  more  until  it  has  become 
necessary  for  the  agent  to  add  to  copy  work  merchandizing 
ideas,  suggestions,  and  information  in  order  to  retain  his  busi- 
ness. ]\Ien  who  have  been  successful  in  this  advisory  capacity 
have  started  in  business  as  advertising  counsel,  and  frequently 
ended  by  combining  with  other  similar  individuals  to  make  a 
small  agency,  because  the  money  in  the  agency  business  does 
not  as  yet  lie  in  the  fees  for  counsel  but  in  the  profits  from 
the  commissions. 

This  has  led  to  the  small  organization  which  lays  its  stress 
upon  the  personal  service  given  by  the  different  individuals 
composing  it,  each  of  whom  is  supposed  to  be  an  expert  in  his 
particular  line.  These  developments  of  the  advertising  organ- 
ization have  a  considerable  bearing  upon  the  position  of  the 
agency  today.  The  call  for  more  effective  advertising  has  de- 
manded a  specializing  of  copy  for  many  media,  corresponding 
more  closely  to  the  purposes  and  requirements  of  the  mediuni 
and  its  audience.  This  specializing  of  copy  is  particularly 
necessary  for  media  reaching  audiences  of  a  distinct  occupa- 
tional or  business  character.  It  requires  a  very  much  finer 
degree  of  study  and  application  to  the  media  and  the  subject 
and  is  one  of  the  points  used  by  the  small  service  agency  as  a 
point  of  value. 

Service 

The  matter  of  service  to  be  given  by  the  advertising  agency 
is  a  matter  of  considerable  controversy  between  advertisers  and 
agencies,  and  publishers  and  agencies.  There  is  no  douljt  that 
considerable  dissatisfaction  exists  in  the  advertising  field  with 
the  service  rendered  by  many  advertising  agencies,  for  it  is 


412  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

felt  that  the  amount  of  money  paid  the  agent  by  the  pub- 
lisher as  commission  would  justify  his  giving  more  service 
than  he  has  so  far  undertaken  to  do.  The  consequence  is  that 
further  service  is  being  demanded  from  the  agency  by  some 
publishers  and  advertisers  and  it  is  a  general  opinion  that  the 
agent  shoukl  be  capable  of  advancing  more  information  from 
his  experience  and  the  work  which  he  has  done  in  other  direc- 
tions. The  service  which  the  agent  is  giving  may  be  classified 
as  follows : 

A  knowledge  of  the  media  which  comes  from  the  experi- 
ence with  a  great  many  different  campaigns  in  connection  with 
the  media. 

A  production  of  copy,  which  probably  is  the  most  important 
part  of  a  service. 

Without  question,  some  of  the  finest  copy  service  depart- 
ments in  the  advertising  fields  are  in  the  hands  of  agencies. 
They  have  spent  years  in  accumulating  the  best  copy-writers, 
artists,  and  layout  men  —  all  that  is  necessary  to  the  making 
of  copy,  the  agent  attracts  and  keeps.  He  has  the  advantage 
of  working  on  a  great  many  different  campaigns,  and  each  of 
them  gives  him  a  view*  of  human  nature  and  types,  the  way  to 
approach  these  and  the  w^ay  to  produce  results  with  the  least 
expenditure  of  money  and  effort.  He  knows  how  to  arrange 
copy  to  suit  space,  or  space  to  suit  copy,  and  should  be  able  to 
produce  the  most  economy  in  this  respect. 

The  third  item  of  information  is  the  question  of  rates. 
While  there  is  a  tendency  all  along  the  line  to  standardize  rates 
so  that  there  will  be  one  rate  for  all  advertisers,  some  classes 
of  media  have  no  certain  method  of  making  rates,  and  the  ad- 
vertiser who  is  absolutely  certain  he  is  getting  rock  bottom 
prices  in  such  a  case  is  little  short  of  a  miracle 

The  agency,  because  of  its  use  of  these  media  for  a  great 
many  conditions,  has  an  insight  into  the  rate  question  wliich  the 
advertiser  is  hardly  able  to  gain  unless  he  is  spending  an  enor- 


ADVERTISING  AGENCIES  413 

mous  amount  of  money.  Some  of  the  large  companies  have 
undoubtedly  some  of  the  best  rate  departments  in  the  field,  but 
as  a  general  rule  the  advertising  agency  is  better  posted  on 
the  matter  of  rates  and  discounts  than  is  the  average  adver- 
tiser. 

The  question  of  economical  distribution  of  advertising  is 
very  important,  and  it  is  possible  to  waste  a  great  deal  of 
money  through  lack  of  knowledge  of  the  question  of  rates  and 
discounts. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  wide  experience  of  the  agent  has 
given  him  valuable  selling  ideas,  or  merchandizing  ideas,  suf- 
ficiently so  to  be  worth  handing  out  to  his  customers.  How- 
ever, It  is  rarely  possible  that  the  agent  is  able  to  give  very 
expert  counsel  on  the  marketing  to  the  manufacturer  where  the 
manufacturer  has  studied  his  market  as  he  should  do,  because 
there  is  a  tendency  for  a  man  on  the  outside  to  be  somewhat 
superficial  in  his  considerations.  In  connection  with  the  mar- 
keting of  any  proposition,  the  line  from  the  man  on  the  outside, 
however,  will  have  a  value  if  it  is  considered  in  connection  with 
the  expert  development. 

The  agent,  however,  can  submit  new  selling  ideas,  and  his 
experience  in  this  regard  is  good.  Scientific  laws  are  based  on 
one  thing  —  the  accumulation  of  the  experience  of  thousands 
of  people  gathered  together.  Advertising  is  in  its  formative 
stage  now,  when  experience  is  the  only  real  guide.  There  is 
not  enough  experience  accumulated  for  a  sufficient  length  of 
time  to  make  it  possible  to  lay  down  many  laws.  Some  laws 
regarding  the  general  action  of  groups  of  humanity,  certain 
typographical  rules,  certain  rules  regarding  copy,  illustration, 
color  harmony  and  the  like,  can  be  defined.  In  many  respects 
it  is  not  possible  to  lay  down  rules  of  advertising  or  the  laws  of 
selling  ideas.  Experience  is  the  thing  that  counts,  and  the  ex- 
perience of  the  agent  covering  the  results  of  his  work  with  a 
number  of  advertisers  as  a  general  rule  gives  him  a  flow  of 


414  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

selling  ideas  which  are  valuable,  though  they  are  not  all  appli- 
cable to  any  one  particular  business. 

Advantages 

The  advantages  of  the  agent  from  the  publisher's  standpoint 
lie  in  his  possibilities  for  the  creation  of  new  business.  1  he 
agent,  because  he  is  allowed  to  work  as  an  unrestricted  free 
lance,  is  naturally  required  to  create  advertising  possibilities  out 
of  a  number  of  non-advertising  firms  or  to  increase  the  adver- 
tising of  those  who  are  already  doing  such  work.  The  publish- 
ers, whether  rightly  or  not,  give  the  advertising  agency  credit 
for  a  large  part  of  the  advertising  business  of  the  last  twenty 
years  ;  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  they  have  been  responsible  for 
the  production  of  a  great  deal  of  new  business.  There  is  no 
doubt  that,  from  the  publisher's  standpoint,  the  commission  to 
the  agent  is  thoroughly  justified.  The  advertiser,  particularly 
the  man  who  has  not  previously  advertised,  frequently  requires 
service  of  one  kind  or  another  in  order  to  make  his  advertising 
possible,  and  consequently  the  service  department  of  the  agency 
is  a  necessity  from  the  publisher's  standpoint. 

Viewed  from  the  standpoint  of  the  advertiser,  the  agent  has 
a  number  of  advantages.  His  work  on  numerous  campaigns 
and  numerous  sales  problems  has  provided  him  (if  he  is  worthy 
of  his  hire)  with  an  immense  amount  of  information  as  to 
what  is  of  value  and  what  is  not  of  value  in  connection  with 
certain  sales  matters,  so  that  he  is  able  to  get  information  to 
the  advertiser  from  an  entirely  outside  angle  which  will  am- 
plify and  correct  the  advertiser's  viewpoint.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  the  counsel,  the  merchandising  ideas,  the  copy  work, 
the  information  on  rates  and  discounts,  etc.,  possessed  by  the 
agency,  are  of  the  utmost  value  to  the  advertiser  who  is  aljle 
to  take  advantage  of  them.  But  as  the  advertiser  does  not  pay 
for  them  directly,  it  is  pretty  hard  for  him  to  control  the 
amount  of  the  service  he  will  get. 


ADVERTISING  AGENCIES  415 

Weaknesses 

It  may  be  found  that  with  the  agent,  service  means  getting 
out  twelve  or  twenty-six  or  thirty  pieces  of  copy  and  suggesting 
a  booklet  or  two  to  go  with  the  copy,  and  some  minor  details 
of  that  kind.  On  the  other  hand,  he  may  have  some  selling 
ideas,  some  advertising  ideas,  some  suggestions  as  to  media. 
But  as  to  how  much  of  that  service  can  be  secured,  it  is  hard  to 
determine. 

When  you  retain  a  lawyer,  the  fact  that  his  payment  depends 
absolutely  upon  your  satisfaction  makes  it  possible  to  hold  him 
closely.  When  you  secure  a  doctor  the  same  condition  holds 
good.  But  as  the  agent  is  paid  from  the  publisher  and  his  pay 
is  not  primarily  dependent  upon  the  extent  of  his  service,  it  is 
harder  to  control  this  service,  especially  for  the  man  unm- 
formed  upon  advertising.  The  fact  is  that  the  agent  is  most 
valuable  as  an  ally  to  the  advertiser  only  when  acting  in  con- 
nection with  a  specialized  department  in  the  advertiser's  own 
organization,  which  can  check  up,  amplify  and  modify  the 
agent's  work  so  as  to  make  it  of  the  utmost  service. 

Where  the  manufacturer  relies  upon  the  advertising  agent  to 
carry  his  business,  as  is  done  in  some  cases,  there  is  no  check 
upon  the  agent  and  the  discounts  which  should  be  placed  upon 
his  particular  angle  are  not  made.  The  check  and  investiga- 
tion which  should  be  carried  out  independently  to  serve  as  a 
conservative  balance  on  the  agent  are  missing,  and  the  tendency 
then  is  for  the  agent  to  determine  many  things  which  he  alone 
IS  hardly  competent  to  judge,  causing  expenditures  which 
would  have  been  unnecessary  if  the  proper  checks  had  been 
applied  in  the  first  place. 

When  you  consider  the  \-alue  of  the  agent,  you  must  always 
remember  that  by  his  very  position  —  paid  by  the  publisher  .of 
the  magazines,  newspapers  or  other  space,  paid  on  the  business 
he  brings  in  which  is  based  on  the  amount  of  space  he  can 
secure  —  his  tendency  is  to  get  as  much  as  possible.     His  very 


4l6  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

remuneration  depends  upon  his  getting  you  to  spend  as  much  as 
he  can.  Of  course,  the  wise  agent  figures  that  if  he  can  put 
out  your  money  carefully  one  year,  next  year  you  will  become 
a  larger  customer,  but  if  he  induces  you  to  spend  more  in  this  or 
in  other  ways  than  is  necessary,  next  year  you  may  go  else- 
W'here.  This  is  on  the  basis  that  a  satisfied  customer  is  better 
than  a  dissatisfied  one.  Just  the  same,  we  find  that  the  agent 
is  like  the  salesman.  You  know,  salesmen  have  a  tendency  to 
write  a  nice  long  order  on  the  books  if  they  can,  without  figur- 
ing too  nicely  on  its  necessity  to  the  customer.  There  is  the 
same  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  advertising  agent. 

It  is  not  human  nature  for  a  man  to  be  two  things  equally 
well  at  the  same  time,  and  the  advertising  agent  as  advertising 
counsel  and  the  agent  as  commission  man,  are  apt  to  have  a 
little  fight  with  each  other.  They  compromise,  and  the  com- 
promise is  never  anything  but  a  degree  or  two  less  than  the  best. 

The  Publisher 

The  place  of  the  publisher  in  advertising  may  be  considered 
analogous  with  the  place  of  the  man  who  leases  the  theater  and 
produces  the  plays,  putting  his  time  and  money  and  organiza- 
tion into  securing  an  audience.  The  periodical  is  produced  be- 
cause the  public  wants  something  to  read.  The  writers  and 
the  editorial  make-up  of  the  periodical  represent  the  staging 
and  organization  of  the  play  and  the  writer  of  it.  The  audi- 
ence are  readers  interested  and  attracted  because  of  the  titles 
of  the  pieces,  the  name  of  the  periodical,  the  value  of  the 
reading  matter,  and  the  names  of  the  writers.  Unlike  the  play, 
however,  the  periodical  can  figure  on  a  definite  minimum  audi- 
ence for  each  of  its  offerings.  The  custom  of  requiring  yearly 
subscriptions  in  connection  w'ith  a  good  many  periodicals,  the 
tendency  for  the  reading  of  certain  publications  to  develop  into 
a  habit,  and  the  general  tendency  of  a  publication  to  acquire  an 
atmosphere  which  attracts  the  same  audience  continually,  make 


THE  PUBLISHER  4^7 

it  possible  for  the  publisher  of  the  periodical  to  secure  and  re- 
tain an  audience  which  will  be  carried  over  successive  issues 
of  the  same  publication  for  months  or  years,  or  even  decades. 
So  far  as  the  advertising  man  is  concerned,  however,  the  pub- 
lisher does  nothing  more  than  provide  an  audience,  more  or 
less  interested  in  the  reading  matter  which  he  puts  out,  and 
consequently  a  public  which  is  more  or  less  interested  in  the 
signs  and  announcements  which  may  appear,  in  addition  to  the 
reading  matter,  between  the  covers. 

This  is  very  w^ell  exemplified  by  a  little  examination  of  the 
history  of  periodicals,  wdiich  shows  that  in  the  earlier  days  of 
printing,  the  periodicals  disliked  to  give  up  any  portion  of  the 
paper  for  advertising,  limited  the  amount  of  space  which  could 
be  secured  for  such  advertising,  and  left  it  out  if  the  reading 
matter  covered  more  space  than  was  allowed  for. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  pul^li slier  in  the  early  days  had  the 
advertising  forced  vipon  him  by  the  merchant  who  grasped  the 
possibilities  of  bringing  his  announcements  to  the  people  in  this 
simple  manner,  and  offered  inducements  to  the  publisher  which 
were  sufficiently  strong  to  engage  him  to  give  up  a  small  portion 
of  his  paper  to  such  announcements.  It  was  a  very  long  time 
after  the  introduction  of  advertising  into  periodicals  before  the 
publisher  began  to  see  the  possibilities  of  his  medium  in  con- 
nection with  business. 

Practically  all  that  the  publisher  has  learned  about  the  value 
of  periodical  media  for  ad\ertising  has  been  secured  by  the  in- 
sistence of  the  merchant  in  his  uses  of  this  method  of  extending 
his  market.  Today,  of  course,  the  whole  situation  is  changed. 
The  demand  of  the  public  in  respect  to  reading  matter,  the  price 
at  which  the  publications  must  be  sold  in  the  face  of  competi- 
tion, and  the  revenue  w^hich  the  last  thirty  years  has  demon- 
strated can  be  secured  through  advertising,  have  made  the  ad- 
vertising the  important  part  of  the  periodical  from  the  stand- 
point of  immediate  revenue.     In  very  few  cases  does  the  peri- 


4l8  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

odical  sell  for  such  a  price  as  would  pay  for  the  cost  of  pro- 
duction. Usually  there  is  an  increasing  loss  upon  the  subscrip- 
tion price  as  the  circulation  increases. 

The  only  thing  which  has  made  it  possible  to  get  up  a  news- 
paper such  as  is  represented  by  the  New  York  Times,  Tribune, 
Chicago  Tribune,  Springfield  Republican,  or  any  of  the  larger 
newspapers  that  sell  for  one  or  two  cents,  is  because  the  adver- 
tising possibilities  of  the  medium  are  such  that  the  advertismg 
revenue  will  take  care  of  the  loss  in  production  above  the  sub- 
scription price  and  produce  the  necessary  profit.  On  account 
of  this  the  business  department  of  the  modern  publication  is  a 
very  important  department,  representing  as  it  does  the  market- 
ing end  of  the  organization.  The  publication  lives  only 
through  its  advertising  revenue. 

Space  and  Service 

It  is  customary,  because  of  convenience,  for  the  publisher  to 
sell  to  the  advertiser  space  in  his  periodical,  this  space  being 
represented  by  a  certain  number  of  lines  or  a  certain  area  in 
the  periodical.  Actually,  however,  the  publisher  is  not  en- 
gaged in  selling  space,  neither  is  the  advertiser  buying  space ; 
the  publisher  is  selling  an  advertising  service.  He  is  selling 
to  the  advertiser  an  opportunity  to  speak  to  the  audience  which 
the  publisher  has  gathered  together,  and  the  advertiser  by  the 
amount  of  space  he  takes  confines  himself  to  what  might  be 
compared  with  the  one-minute,  five-minute,  fifteen-minute  or 
half -hour  speeches,  which  would  be  given  to  such  an  audience 
were  it  gathered  together  in  one  place. 

It  is  evident  that  the  publisher,  in  order  to  be  of  any  service 
to  the  advertiser,  therefore,  must  first  secure  his  audience,  and 
it  is  further  evident  that  this  audience  must  be  to  some  extent 
interested  in  the  subjects  presented  to  it.  It  is  obvious  that  the 
editorial  department  remains  the  most  important  and  govern- 
ing department  in  the  publication  because  of  the  fact  that  upon 


THE  PUBLISHER  419 

the  work  of  the  editorial  department  will  depend  the  value  and 
the  interest  of  the  audience  which  the  advertiser  secures. 

Circulation 

When  advertising  began  to  provide  a  large  portion  of  the 
publisher's  revenue,  and  when  the  demands  of  competition  in- 
creased the  cost  of  production  so  that  the  advertising  became 
the  only  revenue,  the  publisher  discovered  that  the  circulation 
which  would  naturally  accrue  to  a  pubhcation  because  of  its 
interest  and  without  any  special  efforts  to  bring  it  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  people,  was  not  sufficient  for  his  purpose  and  was 
far  too  slow  in  its  accumulation.  He  consequently  began  to 
introduce  a  selling  department  to  sell  the  publication  to  the 
people  who  could  buy  it,  and  this  selling  department  and  its 
conduct  have  an  important  bearing  upon  the  value  of  the  pub- 
lication to  the  advertiser.  In  the  competitive  situation  which 
developed,  and  in  the  wild  attempts  to  secure  circulation  at  any 
cost  and  by  any  means,  all  sorts  of  selling  methods  w'ere  devel- 
oped;  premiums  of  all  kinds,  prize  packages  of  books,  clocks, 
household  furniture,  etc.,  were  given  away  with  the  publication, 
and  all  sorts  of  stimulation  was  applied  in  order  rapidly  to 
accumulate  the  circulation  which  would  show  tremendous  gains 
and  large  totals. 

The  fallacy  of  this  proposition  becomes  evident  when  we  go 
back  to  the  analogy  of  the  audience.  If  the  subject  matter  of 
the  evening  brings  in  only  a  half-filled  hall,  it  may  be  possible 
to  go  out  on  the  streets  and  by  other  inducements  fill  the  rest 
of  the  hall.  The  man  who  is  to  talk  upon  the  subject  may  have 
the  pleasure  of  talking  to  a  larger  number  of  people,  but  it  is 
scarcely  likely  that  he  will  impress  more  people  or  make  more 
disciples  than  he  would  have  done  with  the  smaller  audience. 

The  trouble  was  that  the  publisher  was  selling  two  ways  — 
he  was  selling  his  publication  to  a  list  of  people  who  might 
read,  and  he  was  selling  the  value  of  that  circulation  to  the 


420  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

advertiser.  It  was  a  long  time  before  he  made  any  effort  to 
co-ordinate  those  two  selling  propositions  so  that  they  should 
agree  and  provide  additional  strength,  instead  of  additional 
weakness,  to  his  position.  In  fact,  it  may  be  stated  that  the 
recent  improvements  which  ha\e  occurred  in  this  regard  have 
practically  been  forced  upon  the  publisher  by  the  insistent 
demand  of  the  advertiser  for  a  larger  efficiency  in  circula- 
tion. 

Inasmuch  as  periodical  media  take  the  principal  portion  of 
the  money  which  is  spent  upon  advertising  in  the  United  States 
each  year,  it  is  obvious  that  the  efficiency  of  this  branch  of  ad- 
vertising is  of  the  utmost  importance  and  the  position  of  the 
publisher  something  which  must  be  thoroughly  understood  and 
appreciated. 

The  publisher  has  been  under  considerable  difficulties  in 
attempting  to  pro\ide  something  for  the  advertiser  which 
would  agree  with  his  technical  requirements  and  suggestions, 
and  which  at  the  same  time  would  fit  in  with  the  necessity  of 
his  circulation  conditions.  The  circulation  of  the  publisher 
represents  his  list  of  the  buyers  of  his  actual  production.  Nat- 
urally enough,  for  a  long  time  the  publisher  considered  that  this 
list  of  buyers  was  his  own  private  business  and  that  it  w'as  not 
incumbent  upon  him  to  disclose  to  the  advertiser  any  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  it.  Furthermore,  the  advertiser  himself  was 
not  clear  as  to  just  what  he  wanted  to  know. 

Advertising  is  not  very  well  understood  even  today  and  the 
advertiser  demanded  so  many  things  from  the  publisher  which 
were  obviously  absurd  or  impossible  for  the  publisher  to  fur- 
nish that  he  had  manv  reasons  and  excuses  for  refusing  to  fur- 
nish those  things  which  would  have  advanced  his  own  position. 
Today,  however,  practically  all  the  large  publications  of  any 
importance  in  the  newspaper  or  magazine  field  are  willing  to 
provide  the  advertiser  with  all  the  circulation  information 
v>hich  is  necessary  under  ordinary  circumstances. 


THE  PUBLISHER  421 

The  Audit  Bureau  of  Circulations 

The  tendency  for  the  publisher  to  make  his  circulation  state- 
ment look  as  large  as  possible  and  the  impossibility  of  keeping 
irresponsible  publishers  within  reasonable  bounds,  started  the 
advertiser  many  years  ago  to  demand  much  information  about 
circulation.  A  number  of  years  ago  an  association  was  formed 
for  the  purpose  of  making  audits  of  circulations  in  certain  fields 
for  the  benefit  of  its  members.  This  association  was  known 
as  the  Association  of  American  Advertisers  and  its  work  was 
the  pioneer  effort  in  this  line.  In  an  entirely  different  field 
the  Technical  Publicity  Association  was  working  out  w4th  the 
publishers  of  technical  and  trade  papers  the  question  of  stand- 
ard forms  of  contract  and  standard  forms  of  preparing  circu- 
lation statements. 

Later  the  Association  of  National  Advertisers  took  up  the 
matter  and  developed  the  work  upon  somewhat  broader  lines. 
There  came  a  demand  upon  the  part  of  the  advertiser  for  reli- 
able statements  as  to  the  circulation  of  the  different  publica- 
tions, and  a  demand  that  these  statements  be  checked.  For  a 
long  time  these  demands  took  in  only  the  questions  of  quantity 
and  territorial  distribution  of  the  circulation.  The  first  at- 
tempt to  determine  the  character  of  circulation  was  made  by 
the  Technical  Publicity  Association  in  its  work  with  the  tech- 
nical journals  in  which  methods  were  laid  out  for  the  stand- 
ardizing of  an  occupational  analysis  along  certain  lines. 

As  the  value  of  audience  became  the  subject  of  deeper  study 
the  necessity  for  some  understanding  of  the  quality  of  circula- 
tion became  more  and  more  generally  understood.  It  is  cus- 
tomary now  to  analyze  circulation  by  occupational  or  buying 
power  in  the  case  of  publications  of  more  or  less  specialized 
character,  and  to  analyze  the  methods  of  acquiring  the  circu- 
lation in  the  case  of  publications  with  a  general  appeal. 

Along  with  this  demand  for  more  accurate  information  came 
a  more  insistent  demand  for  an  adequate  check  upon  the  circu- 


422  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

lation  figures  as  given  by  the  publisher.  The  pubHsher  was 
therefore  burdened  with  the  necessity  of  getting  up  special 
information  for  scores  of  advertisers  and  advertising  agencies 
and  the  need  for  some  standard  method  of  attaining  these  re- 
sults became  apparent.  The  matter  was  again  agitated  by  the 
Association  of  National  Advertisers  and  in  connection  with 
the  developments  produced  by  the  old  Association  of  American 
Advertisers,  crystallized  into  the  Audit  Bureau  of  Circulations. 
This  was  the  first  really  systematic  attempt  to  standardize 
methods  of  checking  the  publishers'  circulation  statements  and 
also  the  form  in  which  the  advertiser  should  receive  them. 

This  work  has  now  been  going  forward  for  some  years  and 
has  become  strongly  established.  Before  long  it  may  be  ex- 
pected that  its  work  with  perhaps  some  further  modifications 
will  be  accepted  in  the  advertising  field  as  the  standard  of  report 
and  information  on  this  subject.  Necessarily  this  work  has 
called  for  some  definition  of  the  terms  used  by  advertisers  and 
publishers  in  technical  senses,  and  this  matter  of  defining  terms 
so  as  to  indicate  their  exact  technical  meaning  will  undoubt- 
edly be  the  most  important  feature  of  the  movement.  This 
movement  toward  standardizing  of  circulations  is  so  important 
that  it  is  of  value  to  consider  the  forms  used  in  connection  with 
it,  as  they  are  employed  today.  A  set  of  the  forms  is  accord- 
ingly appended. 


THE  PUBLISHER 


423 


AUDIT  BUREAU  OF 
CIRCULATIONS 

VENETIAN   eu'LDiMG    CM^CAGO 


MT-1 


Na/n«  ol  Publicatton. 


Average  net  paid  — 


OU*RTES_ 
Oy*RTER_ 
Ou.R'EO- 


City_ 
State- 


4.  Year  Estab.. 


Published 

Report  for 

Date  examfned . 


-months  ending. 


.I9l_ 
J9I_ 


8  Ave'age  circulation  for  penod  covered  by  Section  6.  above 


Mail  Subscribers  (individual) 
Net  Sales  through  Newsdealers 


TOTAL  NET  PAID      .      . 
Term  Subsc'ipl'Ons  in  Bulk 
Single  Issue  Sales  'n  BuiU 
TOTAL  NET  PAID  iNCLUDG  BULK 

CorreSDOndenIS 

Advertisers  

TOTAL   FORWARD      .       . 


BROUGHT  FORWARD 
Advertising  Agencies  .  .  . 
Ejichanges  and  Complirrenlary 

Samples 

Canvassers        

Employees 

File  Copies      ...         .     . 


TOTAL  DISTRIBUTION 


lO     Net  paid  ccuiation  by  states  based  on  issue  of- 


£WSO£*i,&'?S 


.  SUBSCRIBERS 


NEV/SOEALERS 


Maine      .     . 
Nev^  Hampsh.re 

VernionI     .      . 

Massachusetts  . 
Rhode  :5!and      . 

ConneCICut   .       . 

NEW  ENG  STATES 
New  Yo'V      .     . 
New  Je-sea  .     . 

Pennsyi»an  a'  . 
Delaware  .  .  . 
Marijiand .  .  . 
Disi  ol  Columb  a 
N   AT   STATES 

V.rg.na  .  .  . 
No'th  Carolina  . 
South  Carolina  . 
Gecg  a  .  .  . 
Florida  .  .  . 
SO  E  STATES 

KentuCl<J 

West  V 'gin.a 
Tennessee  . 
Alabama  .  . 
M  ssss  ppi  . 
Louisiana .  . 
Texas  .  .  . 
Ok'ahoma 
Arkansas  .  . 
SO.  W.  STATES 
Oh'iD     .... 


I     I 


I     I 

IT 


I  I 


I  I 


Tl 

Tl. 


Indiana    .     .     . 
MItnois      .     .     . 
Michigan 
Wisconsin     .     . 
Minnesota    .    , 
Iowa   .... 
Missouri  .     .     . 
North  Daliota   . 
South  Dakota   . 
Nebraska     .     . 
Kansas     .     .     . 
MIDDLE  STATES 
Montana  . 
Wyoming  '    , 
Colorado .     ,     , 
New  Mexico 
Arizona    .     .     . 
Utah  .... 
Nevada   .    .     . 
Idaho .... 
Washington .     , 
Oregon    .    .    . 
California     .     . 
WEST  STATES 
Unclassified 
UNITED  STATES 
Canada    .     . 
Alaska  &  U  S  Poss. 
Foreign    .     .     . 
Miscellaneous(a) 
-I   GRAND  TOTAL 


IT 


I  I 


TT 


I  I 
TT 


I  I 
I  I 
TT 


U)    Mi; 


s  —  Sa'es  other  than  ^ 


ub^n^r^  or  newsdealers. 


Copyngr^.  1914.  &v  ' 


424  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

12.  State    percentage    of   subscription    circulation    based   on    issue    of 
in  cities  of 

100,000  and   over '/r 

50,000   to    100,000 '/c         25,000   to   50,000 % 

10,000  to     25,000 %  5,000   to    10,000 % 

2,500   to        5,000 9f  Under  2,500 % 

(ri'itiiitUKe   to  total    100'/(.) 

Actual  figures  only  to  be  given;   if  not  available,  so  state 

(This  question  not  to  be  answered  unless  an  actual  analysis  has  licen  mad*  by  the 
publislier  and  auditor  must  then  state  how  the  classification  was  obtained,  and 
jiublishers'  working  sheets  show-ing  analvsis  must  be  analyzed  by  testinc  a  suf 
ficient  number  to  insure  accuracy.  If  inaccuracies  are  found  compilation  sliall 
be   rejected   and    no    jiercentages   given    but   conditions   stated.) 

Total  subscription  circulation  for  issue 

13.  What  is  the  class,  industry  or  field  covered  by  publication? 


ANALYSIS  OF  CIRCULATION   METHODS 
21.     Single  copy  price: 

Regular  subscription    rates:      1    year ;    2  years ;   3 

year ;    5  years 

Are  short  term  subscriptions  accepted  pro  rata? 

Special  subscription  offers:      Period  of for  $ 

"         " for  $ 

"         " Years  for  $ 

" Years  for  $ 

(50  i)er  cent  of  the  regular  subscription   price  shall   be  considered   as   a  special 
offer.) 

Rates  at  which  club  raisers  may  take  subscriptions  for  this  pub- 
lication alone: 

Rate  of  $ per in  clubs  of 

Rate  of  $ per in  clubs  of 

What  special  rates  do  you  make  for  renewals  or  extensions?     give 
details    


22.     (a)  To  what  extent  is  publication  returnable?. 


(b)    Premiums,  contests,  etc.  (B,  I,  O)    

(If  premiums,  circulation  contests,  lal)el  contests,  trademark  contests,  coui)on  con 
tests,  voting  or  other  contests  have  been  used  during  period  covered  by  examina 
tion,  give  details  and  general  nature  of  offers  and  value  as  advirtised  or  stated 
by  publisher  of  i)remiums  and  prices  used.) 

(State  in  last  sentence  following  premium  information  that  cost  of  premiums 
used  comes  within  Bureau's  definition  of  iiaid  subscribers,  if  not,  write  Bureau 
exiilaining  fully.) 


(Premiums  to  be  continued  on  extra  page  if  necessary.) 


THE  PUBLISHER  425 

22.     (c)  Canvassers — (If  canvassers  are  employed  state  whether  in  city 
or  country,  and  if  paid  salary  or  commission  or  both) 

(d)   Were   subscriptions  obtained  from   club   raisers   (paid   by   re- 
wards other  than  cash)  ?     (Explain  fully)    


(e)    Were  clubbing  offers  made  of  this  and  one  or  more  other  pub- 
lications to  subscribers?     (Describe  fully)    


Were  subscriptions  received  (other  than  their  own)  through  or 
from  other  publishers  (direct  or  through  subscription  agencies)?  (Ex- 
plain fully)    


(f)    What  percentage  of  mail  circulation  was  obtained  through  sub- 
scription agencies? % 

(This    percentage    should    include   subscriptions    received   from    other   publishers. 
If  imblisher  requests,  percentage  from  other  publishers  may  be  stated) 


(g)    What  percentage  of  mail  subscriptions  were  renewed?     Actual 
figures  only  to  be  given;  if  not  available,  so  state 


(On  giving  above  figures  state  witliin  what  period  of  time  after  expiration  publi 
cation  has  counted  a  subscrijition  to  be  a  renewal) 

(h)    Describe  bulk  sales  if  any 


426  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

22.     (j)   During  this  period  were  subscriptions  obtained  on  the  install- 
ment  plan?    

(Installment  subscrijttions  are  those  paid  for  in  two  or  more  periodical  install- 
nients.     Slate  terms  and  describe  i)olic.v.) 


(k)    During   this    period    were   subscriptions   accepted    on   trial    or 
short  term   offers 7    

Were  these  subscriptions  obtained  at  pro  rata  rates  and  stopped 
promptly   at  expiration? 

(If  not,  deduct  and  explain  fully.) 


(p)    During  this  period  from  what  sources  other  than  the  preceding 
(except  direct  and  through  Newsdealers)  were  subscriptions  received? 

23.  What  percentage  of  subscriptions  (other  than  installment)  is  in 
arrears?     As  at  date  of 

(Should  be  representative  of  same  issue  listed  in  Par.  10) 

Up  to  3  mos %;  3  mos.  to  6  mos %;  6  mos.  to  1  year %; 

Total % 

(a)  What    percentage    of    newsdealer   circulation    is    in    arrears? 
%  as  at  date  of 

(b)  If  installment  subscriptions  are  accepted,  state  how  many  were 

served  with  the  issue  portrayed  in  Paragraph  10 

How  many  months  were  installment  subscriptions  carried  in  arrears? 

(Answer  to  above  question  shall  be  based  on  the  total  obligation  assumed  by  sul) 
scriber,  including  subscriptions  to  other  publications,  books,  or  merchandise  ar- 
ticles sold  in  combination.  An  agreement  to  T'^y.  accejjtance  or  note  in  paynieiit 
for  a  subscription  shall  be  considered  an  order  or  a  confirmation  of  an  order 
only,   and    not   payment.) 

24.  Is  publication  an  official  organ  of  any  associations  (if  so  name 
them)  and  on  what  basis  do  members  of  such  associations  get  publica- 
tion?      


(a)    Do  dues  paid  or  part  of  dues  paid  by  members  of  this  associa- 
tion entitle  its  members  to  subscription  to  this  publication? 

If  so  what  percentage? % 

(Exiilain   jirice,   etc.) 


27.     During   this   period   was  each   copy  of  the  entire  edition   of  each 

issue  uniform  as  to  its  contents  and  quality  of  paper  stock? 

If  any  exceptions,  describe  fully. 


THE  PUBLISHER 


427 


28.     Explanatory. 

(If  publishers'   statements   are   not  verified  cross  out  the  first 
paragraph.     If  verified  cross  out  second  paragraph.) 

Publishers'  statements  to  the  Bureau  have  been  verified  by  this 
audit. 

The  difference  in  net  paid  circulation,  as  shown  by  this  report,  as 
compared  with  publishers'  statements  for  the  period  audited,  amounting 
to  an  average  of copies,  is  accounted  for  by  deductions  made  for 


(Auditor  will   add  extra  page   if  further  explanation  is  required.) 

Net  Paid  Circulation  for  this  period  by  issues: 


Date 

Copies 

Date 

Copies 

Date 

Copies 

Date 

Copies 

1 

i 

i                     1 

1 

City 

Date (Auditor's    Signature) 


We,  the  undersigned,  agree  to  give  no  publication  and  in  no  way 
make  use  of  the  figures  contained  in  this  auditor's  report,  which  was 
shown  us  by  your  auditor,  but  to  await  the  release  of  the  final  figures 
which  shall  be  sent  to  us  for  signature  as  soon  as  the  report  has  been 
verified  and  accepted  by  the  Bureau. 

(Publishers'  Signature) 


CHAPTER  XXX 

PERIODICAL  MEDIA  — RATES,  CIRCULATION, 
POLICIES,  ETC. 

Historical 

Periodical  media  began  with  the  discovery  of  printing  and 
came  into  general  use  with  the  discovery  of  cheap  paper.  The 
earliest  form  of  periodical  media  was  the  news  letter,  which 
was  occasionally  published  in  the  centers  of  commercial  and 
political  activity  and  circulated  among  restricted  audiences  of 
the  upper  classes,  who,  for  political  or  other  reasons,  were 
obliged  to  keep  in  close  touch  with  affairs.  Following  on  this 
came  the  weekly  newspaper,  which  was  in  no  sense  similar  to 
the  newspaper  of  today,  but  rather  the  general  ancestor  from 
which  the  newspaper,  the  magazine,  and  the  trade  journal  have 
all  descended  in  the  increased  ramification  of  human  interest. 

Apparently  the  merchant  had  from  the  beginning  of  the  use 
of  type  and  the  establishment  of  periodical  media  taken  advan- 
tage of  its  presence  to  announce  the  articles  which  he  had  for 
sale.  It  is  evident  from  an  examination  of  the  copies  of  such 
media  that  practically  none  were  entirely  without  advertising 
of  some  kind.  The  value  of  the  audience,  therefore,  to  the 
business  man,  is  not  a  new  discovery,  neither  is  its  application 
new.  It  has  simply  progressed  in  accordance  with  the  general 
industrial  revolution  resulting  from  the  wide  use  of  steam  and 
electricity. 

Fundamental  Values 

The  fundamental  value  of  the  periodical  media  from  an 
advertising   standpoint,    is   due   to   the   curiosity   inherent   in 

428 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  429 

human  nature  and  the  tendency  for  readers  of  periodicals, 
who  have  bought  them  for  the  value  contained  in  the  reading 
pages,  to  extend  their  curiosity  and  consequent  interest  to  the 
ad\ertisements  and  so  become  informed  as  to  the  wares  which 
are  offered  by  the  various  individuals  comprising  the  manufac- 
turing or  selling  units  of  the  community,  nation,  or  world. 

The  beginning  of  advertising  in  connection  w'ith  periodicals 
was  not  due  to  the  publishers  of  such  periodicals,  but  due 
rather  to  the  eagerness  of  the  merchant  to  seize  any  means  at 
hand  to  increase  the  possibilities  of  his  sales  and  to  his  recogni- 
tion of  wider  influence  wdiich  would  obtain  from  the  use  of 
such  media.  The  doubt  w-hich  the  manufacturer  of  today 
feels  in  regard  to  advertising  value  is  due  rather  to  his  igno- 
rance of  historical  conditions  than  to  any  definite  knowledge 
of  its  failure. 

Actually,  however,  it  is  probable  that  the  value  proportion- 
ally of  each  piece  of  advertising  in  periodical  media  has  de- 
clined to  some  extent  in  the  last  twenty  years  because  of  the 
increased  competition  in  advertising  which  has  made  it  impos- 
sible for  the  individual  advertiser  to  secure  the  same  attention. 
The  curiosity  and  interest  which  permitted  the  reader  to  glance 
through  and  pay  some  attention  to  each  of  a  dozen  or  a  few 
dozen  advertisements  is  no  longer  sufficient  to  permit  attention 
to  each  of,  or  even  a  reasonable  proportion  of,  several  hundred 
advertisements.  The  number  of  objects  advanced  for  the 
interest  of  the  reader  is  so  great  that  it  becomes  impossible  for 
him  to  fix  attention  upon  more  than  a  very  small  percentage. 
Indications  are  that  this  feature  of  the  growth  of  advertising  in 
periodical  media  bears  a  somewhat  definite  relation  to  the 
value  and  that  there  is  consequenth'  a  point  beyond  which  it 
will  be  uneconomical  to  add  advertising  pages  to  the  publica- 
tion even  though  the  reading  pages  be  added  in  proportion. 

Inasmuch  as  the  publisher  of  the  earlier  periodical  did  not 
desire  to  take  advertising,  but  simply  acceded  to  the  request  of 


430  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

the  merchant,  the  space  method  of  buying  for  the  advertising 
was  the  natural  outcome.  The  merchant  who  wished  to  an- 
nounce his  wares  offered  the  pubHsher  a  certain  amount  of 
money  for  certain  space  to  do  so,  and  the  pubhsher,  unwilHng 
to  devote  any  time  or  attention  to  the  subject,  interested  only 
in  the  editorial  and  reading  pages,  decided  on  the  basis  of  the 
offer  in  comparison  with  the  size  of  the  space  he  would  have 
to  give  up  to  the  advertising.  As  a  consequence,  the  cost  of 
advertising  in  periodical  media  has  always  been  based  upon  the 
amount  of  space,  although  its  value  is  based  upon  a  service 
which  has  to  do  with  a  great  deal  more  than  space  or  the  num- 
ber of  readers.  As  a  consequence  of  the  survival  of  this  old 
method  of  payment  in  connection  with  periodical  media,  many 
facts  which  should  have  a  tremendous  bearing  upon  the  value 
have  only  in  the  last  few  years  been  suggested,  and  then  only 
because  the  increasing  competition  has  obliged  the  buyer  of 
advertising  to  look  more  closely  into  its  proportional  efficiency. 
It  is  frequently  said  that  in  these  days  periodicals  are  read 
as  much  for  their  advertising  as  for  the  reading  matter.  If 
this  were  the  case,  the  logical  outcome  of  the  tendency  would 
be  to  devote  certain  media  entirely  to  advertising  so  that  the 
readers  who  depend  upon  the  advertising  for  their  information 
and  conscientiously  read  it,  would  not  be  disturbed  by  the  read- 
ing matter.  The  fact  of  the  matter  is,  that  all  advertising  up 
to  the  present  indicates  that  the  reading  of  the  advertising  is 
an  incidental  matter,  due  either  to  leisure,  to  the  presence  of 
advertising  on  the  reading  page  or  to  the  extension  of  the 
interest  over  into  the  advertising  section  so  that  curiosity  impels 
an  examination  of  such  pages.  The  comparatively  small  pro- 
portion of  the  readers  who  remember  more  than  a  very  few  of 
the  advertisements  contained  in  a  publication,  the  tendency  to 
place  advertising  next  to  the  reading  matter,  and  the  increasing 
difficulty  and  cost  of  securing  returns,  indicate  that  the  interest 
in  advertising  is  an  indirect  interest  due  to  the  public's  in- 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  431 

creased  habit  of  reading  or  the  extension  of  interest  or  curi- 
osity which  such  habits  have  engendered. 

Free  Advertising  and  its  Value 

If  there  is  any  one  thing  more  than  another  tnat  indicates 
the  indirect  interest  in  advertising,  it  is  the  continual  attempt 
on  the  part  of  all  people  who  wish  to  influence  public  opinion 
to  secure  space  in  the  news  or  the  editorial  columns  of 
publication  in  the  hope  of  beguiling  the  reader  to  learn  some- 
thing about  the  proposition  under  the  guise  of  news.  Hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  dollars  have  been  spent  in  the  endeavor 
to  secure  space  in  the  newspaper  or  the  editorial  columns  of 
newspapers,  among  the  special  articles  in  magazines,  etc.,  w^here 
there  was  no  use  of  the  advertising  columns.  Even  where  such 
space  could  not  be  secured,  advertising  space  has  been  bought 
upon  the  basis  of  its  being  printed  in  the  same  type,  in  the  same 
style,  and  same  general  appearance  as  the  reading  pages.  The 
whole  history  of  press  agency  work  shows  the  tendency  to  con- 
sider the  reading  pages  as  far  more  likely  to  interest  the  reader 
than  the  advertising  pages. 

This,  of  course,  does  not  demonstrate  the  value  of  such  free 
advertising,  or  publicity,  as  it  is  called.  In  order  to  appear  in 
the  reading  pages  of  any  publication  worthy  of  consideration, 
the  stories  or  articles  must  of  necessity  be  so  general  in  char- 
acter that  they  can  be  tied  to  the  particular  proposition  only 
with  difficulty.  The  editors  of  the  publication,  particularly 
since  the  advertising  revenue  has  become  of  so  much  impor- 
tance, are  on  the  lookout  for  free  publicity  material,  and  unless 
it  passes  the  rules  and  regulations  for  reading  matter  it  will 
probably  be  refused.  As  a  consequence  of  this  the  free  ad- 
vertising partakes  of  the  difficulties  and  the  disadvantages  of 
the  reading  matter  of  the  publication  itself. 

Out  of  the  mass  of  material  w^hich  is  read  by  the  public  in  the 
newspaper,  magazine,  or  other  periodical,  very  few  things  are 


432  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

remembered  for  more  than  a  short  time,  because  of  the  con- 
tinual crowding  of  other  interests,  of  further  reading  matter 
and  the  attention  constantly  directed  into  other  channels.  Of 
the  thousands  of  items  which  have  appeared  in  the  daily  news- 
paper for  the  current  year,  the  average  person  can  remember 
hardly  a  few  scores.  Of  all  the  matters  upon  which  writings 
have  been  made  in  publications,  the  average  reader  can  remem- 
ber but  fragments.  As  a  consequence  of  this,  free  publicity 
to  be  obtained  in  the  reading  columns  of  a  publication  can  have 
but  little  value  as  to  its  effect  upon  a  product  because  of  the 
difficulty  of  tying  the  story  to  the  product  and  of  putting  it  in 
such  a  way  that  it  will  be  retained  upon  the  memory. 

One  of  the  most  important  items  in  the  value  of  display 
advertising  lies  in  its  identifying  repetition,  something  which  is 
lost  in  free  publicity. 

Censorship  of  Advertising  Pages 

Inasmuch  as  the  strength  of  advertising  lies  in  the  confidence 
which  will  rest  in  the  announcements  made  by  any  particular 
firm,  it  was  logical  that  the  men  who  were  engaged  in  adver- 
tising commodities  having  intrinsic  value  in  accordance  with 
their  selling  claims,  should  begin  to  display  a  considerable  in- 
terest in  the  character  of  the  advertising  allowed  in  the  pages  of 
the  various  periodical  media.  It  became  obvious  to  the  stu- 
dent of  advertising  that  every  victim  of  an  unscrupulous  adver- 
tisement meant  not  so  much  one  person  who  would  not  believe 
the  statements  of  that  particular  advertiser,  but  one  person  who 
would  have  difficulty  in  believing  all  advertising  thereafter. 
The  amount  of  unscrupulous  and  fake  advertising  which  pre- 
sented itself  for  consideration  to  the  student  of  this  matter  a 
few  years  ago  was  sufficient  to  demonstrate  the  extent  of  the 
suicidal  destruction  of  advertising  value  by  some  of  its  very 
exponents. 

Finally,  this  matter  became  of  such  importance  to  the  care- 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  433 

ful  publisher,  the  square  deahng  advertiser  and  the  intelligent 
agent,  that  in  many  of  the  most  reputable  periodicals  censor- 
ship of  the  advertising  pages  was  adopted  so  as  to  exclude  the 
unscrupulous  and  fake  methods  which  would  have  a  tendency 
to  destroy  the  advertising  value.  It  was  evident  that  all 
branches  of  the  advertising  business  that  were  attempting  to 
build  up  permanent  and  legitimate  business  relations  were 
equally  interested  in  the  extension  of  this  movement.  The 
publisher  was  interested  because  the  destruction  of  advertising 
confidence  in  his  pages  meant  the  destruction  of  the  advertising 
value  and  revenue;  the  advertiser,  because  the  destruction  of 
advertising  confidence  meant  the  destruction  of  advertising 
possibility  and  its  economy  for  his  business ;  the  agent,  because 
the  destruction  of  advertising  value  meant  the  destruction  of 
advertising  accounts  and  of  his  business. 

One  of  the  reasons  for  the  prestige  and  for  the  tremendous 
advertising  value  secured  by  the  magazines,  women's  publica- 
tions, and  farm  journals,  has  been  the  adoption  of  an  adver- 
tising policy  in  respect  to  their  advertising  pages  which  resulted 
in  the  elimination  of  a  large  percentage  of  the  unscrupulous 
and  fake  advertisements,  and  in  many  cases  of  all  of  them. 

It  is  a  somewhat  astonishing  feature  of  the  case  that  the 
newspaper,  though  so  intimately  connected  with  the  daily  life 
of  the  public  and  possessing  such  unusual  advertising  value 
from  the  standpoint  of  its  history  and  purpose,  has  up  to  the 
last  two  or  three  years  practically  refused  to  recognize  the 
necessity  for  censorship  of  its  advertising  pages.  In  the  case 
of  some  of  the  reform  newspapers,  it  is  somewhat  astonishing 
to  the  man  who  knows  anything  of  the  history  of  advertise- 
ments to  read  in  the  editorials  of  the  periodicals,  the  jubilation 
upon  the  destruction  of  the  patent  medicine  and  loan  shark 
and  other  fakes,  and  in  the  same  issues  to  see  their  advertise- 
ments in  the  advertising  columns. 

The  progress  of  the  immediate  future  will  show  very  defi- 


434  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

nitely  that  the  advertising  value  of  any  particular  medium  is 
materially  affected  by  its  policy  in  respect  to  the  kind  of  adver- 
tising it  carries,  and  there  is  no  question  that  it  will  increasingly 
affect  the  income  and  the  consequent  stability  of  such  medium. 

General  Division 

As  the  reading  habits  of  the  public  have  grown  and  interests 
have  ramified  in  proportion  to  the  increasing  complication  of 
human  life,  the  number  of  publications  has  increased  so  that 
they  have  naturally  divided  themselves  into  certain  general 
groups,  going  to  certain  more  or  less  well  defined  audiences,  of 
more  or  less  definite  value  to  certain  portions  of  the  business 
world,  and  catering,  because  of  particular  information  of  some 
kind,  to  certain  types  and  classes  of  people. 

Under  the  heading  "  General  Magazines  "  have  been  in- 
cluded all  those  monthly  and  weekly  publications  which  have 
for  their  object  the  entertainment,  the  information,  the  relaxa- 
tion, etc.,  of  the  public,  covering  any  portion  of  the  field  of 
human  activities  and  containing  a  selection  of  items,  from 
poetry  and  fiction  to  special  articles  in  respect  to  important 
branches  of  the  industrial  world.  Some  of  these  publications 
specialize  somewhat  largely  upon  literary  and  critical  work, 
some  upon  humor  and  some  upon  fiction,  but  the  interests  to 
which  they  cater  are  general  and  the  audiences  as  a  rule  run 
through  all  types  and  a  good  many  classes  of  readers. 

"  Farm  Journals  "  are  those  publications  which  are  devoted 
to  the  information  of  the  farmer  in  respect  to  his  work,  and  to 
his  entertainment  and  the  entertainment  of  his  family,  etc. 
At  one  time  such  journals  also  fulfilled  the  purpose  of  the 
newspaper.  They  are.  Iiowever,  now  practically  confined  to  the 
items  mentioned  and  their  circulation  is  consequently  confined 
almost  entirely  to  the  farm  and  those  dependent  upon  it. 

As  a  subdivision  of  general  magazines  and  as  an  indication 
of  the  ever  widening  sphere  of  women's  influence,  there  are  a 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  435 

large  number  of  magazines  devoted  solely  to  the  interests  of 
women.  The  importance  of  woman  as  a  buyer,  particularly  in 
regard  to  all  matters  which  enter  into  and  pertain  to  the  house- 
hold or  the  affairs  of  the  family,  has  undoubtedly  been  the  con- 
trolling feature  in  establishing  this  large  division ;  in  fact,  all 
of  them  are  intended  primarily  for  the  woman  of  the  household 
because  of  her  importance  as  a  buying  factor. 

The  general  division  of  manufacturing,  production,  and 
other  branches  of  industry  into  subdivisions  has  resulted  in  the 
establishment  of  periodicals  which  are  classed  under  the  gen- 
eral name  of  "  trade  and  technical  journals."  The  technical 
journals  are  those  which  cater  to  the  practice,  the  theories,  and 
the  conditions  of  operation  in  respect  to  the  branches  of  engi- 
neering and  manufacturing  fields,  mining  and  other  production 
operations.  They  relate  rather  to  the  processes  of  construc- 
tion, production,  manufacturing,  etc.,  than  to  the  processes  of 
marketing.  They  are  concerned  with  the  efficiency  of  opera- 
tion rather  than  the  efficiency  of  sale. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  journals  which  are  concerned  with 
the  problems  of  the  distributor,  with  the  news  of  marketing, 
with  the  conditions  of  sale,  are  termed  "  Trade  Journals  "  and 
have  specialized  upon  the  distributing  and  selling  portions  of 
the  different  branches  of  industry  rather  than  upon  manufac- 
turing and  production. 

These  journals,  appealing  as  they  do  to  special  interests, 
naturally  segregate  the  audiences  so  that  it  is  possible  for  the 
advertiser  to  reduce  the  waste  inherent  in  reaching  a  small  por- 
tion of  the  public  through  ordinary  channels. 

The  subdivision  of  industry  and  the  general  complication  of 
human  life  by  the  extension  of  its  departments  have  resulted 
in  a  subdivision  of  the  relaxation  operations  as  well  as  those 
connected  with  the  serious  objects  of  life,  so  that  every  form  of 
relaxation  and  recreation  is  provided  with  periodicals  devoted 
to  the  exposition  of  materials  connected  therewith.     Such  peri- 


436  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

odicals  are  termed  "  Class  Periodicals  "  in  order  to  distinguish 
them  from  the  trade  periodicals  concerned  with  the  operations 
of  industrial  and  professional  work. 

As  a  natural  consequence  of  the  subdivisions  of  sport,  recre- 
ation, and  relaxation  of  all  kinds,  and  the  tendency  to  standard- 
ize the  conditions  in  such  subdivisions,  as  they  are  standardized 
in  business,  large  branches  of  industry  are  devoted  to  the  manu- 
facture of  products  used  for  the  pursuit  of  these  various  sports 
and  recreations.  Subdivisions  of  the  periodical  media  which 
segregate  the  more  interested  public  among  such  classes,  are 
very  important  from  the  advertiser's  standpoint  as  they  pro- 
vide a  direct  audience  for  a  large  class  of  industry. 

Contracts,  Etc. 

As  a  logical  result  of  the  early  attitude  of  publishers  towards 
advertising  there  was  no  regular  method  of  payment  for  adver- 
tising for  a  long  period.  The  payment  for  the  advertising  was 
analogous  to  all  other  transactions  in  business  —  a  matter  of 
individual  compromise  between  the  individual  publisher  and 
advertiser  —  so  that  it  was  a  usual  thing  to  find  all  kinds  of 
rates  in  the  same  publication  with  various  methods  of  selling 
space.  This  evil  exists  even  to  some  extent  today.  Although 
it  is  usual  to  have  specified  rates  as  expressed  on  the  rate  card, 
it  is  by  no  means  true  that  a  certain  amount  of  space  in  a 
certain  publication  always  costs  the  same.  Quantity  discount 
is  usual,  extra  discounts  due  to  the  importance  of  the  advertiser 
are  usual,  so  that  the  foreign  rate  —  that  is,  the  rate  for  out- 
side advertising  in  newspapers  —  has  always  been  different 
from  the  domestic  rate  —  that  is,  the  rate  for  local  concerns. 
Frequently  there  is  also  a  patent  medicine  rate,  a  department 
store  rate,  and  there  are,  of  course,  the  classified  rates  —  all  of 
these  rates  being  subdivided  according  to  the  requirements  of 
the  particular  contract  in  view. 

The  best  of  the  technical  and  trade  journal  class  of  publica- 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  437 

tions  have  settled  the  rate  question  so  that  there  is  practically 
one  rate.  A  good  many  of  the  general  magazines  and  women's 
publications  have  also  decided  this  matter  and  arranged  so  that 
all  advertisers  pay  the  same  price  per  unit.  The  newspapers 
and  other  periodicals  of  the  kind  are  far  from  any  such  desir- 
able position.  "What  is  a  newspaper  rate?"  is  a  question 
well  understood  by  any  informed  advertising  man,  and  it  is 
one  of  the  dilificulties  under  which  the  newspaper  labors. 

In  the  business  of  advertising,  as  in  every  other  line  of  indus- 
try, the  customer  who  could  make  a  contract  covering  a  period 
of  time  was  allowed  a  smaller  rate.  This  is  still  the  case  with 
most  divisions  in  the  publishing  field  so  that  the  possibility  of 
making  a  time-contract  for  a  certain  amount  of  space  is  of  im- 
portance in  securing  economy  in  rates.  A  number  of  general 
magazines  and  women's  publications  have  removed  this  dis- 
criminating feature  so  that  all  pay  alike  either  for  one  issue  or 
for  a  number.  The  space  on  the  time  contract  is,  however,  of 
importance,  involving  as  it  does  by  far  the  larger  portion  of 
the  periodical  field  and  of  the  individual  publications. 

The  rate  which  is  to  be  paid  to  a  publication  per  unit  —  that 
is,  per  line  (the  agate  line  is  usually  the  measure) —  is  supposed 
to  be  based  upon  the  number  of  copies  circulated  and  paid  for 
by  the  general  public.  There  is,  of  course,  a  tendency  for  each 
publication  to  vary  in  its  circulation  between  one  issue  and  the 
next,  so  that  it  is  only  possible  to  take  a  general  average  in 
arriving  at  the  rate.  Matters  of  unusual  interest,  scoops,  serial 
features  involving  unusually  good  points,  all  have  a  tendency  to 
increase  the  circulation  and  are  balanced  by  a  corresponding 
drop  when  such  features  are  removed.  The  buyer  of  advertis- 
ing has  been  troubled  many  times  by  the  general  tendency  of 
rates  to  increase  with  the  increase  in  circulation,  due  to  such 
features,  without  decreasing  when  such  features  were  removed 
and  the  circulation  correspondingly  dropped. 

This  has  led  to  the  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  large  buyer 


438  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

of  advertising  to  demand  very  specific  information  in  respect  to 
circulation  so  that  the  validity  of  the  rate  can  be  determined. 
This  demand  has  been  further  intensified  by  the  unfortunate 
habit,  formerly  very  widespread  among  publishers,  of  quoting 
figures  in  regard  to  circulation  which  did  not  entirely  agree 
with  the  actual  facts.     This  evil  is  in  process  of  removal. 

Earlier  Circulation  Conditions 

The  earlier  circulation  conditions,  therefore,  were  very  much 
more  allied  to  the  chances  of  a  gamble  than  to  the  require- 
ments of  a  business  proposition.  Claims  as  to  circulation  were 
sometimes  cut  down  to  one-sixth,  and  less,  when  an  opportu- 
nity to  study  the  paper  and  printing  bills  disclosed  the  actual 
condition.  Every  scheme  which  ingenuity  could  make  up  for 
the  padding  of  circulation  was  indulged  in.  Furthermore, 
where  circulation  was  actually  secured,  it  was  frequently  se- 
cured by  such  processes  of  sale  as  eliminated  any  interest  in 
the  medium  itself.  Premiums,  clubbing  offers,  souvenirs, 
prize  contests  —  every  conceivable  extraneous  interest  which 
could  have  been  used  as  an  incentive  to  buy  the  publication  — 
were  made  a  part  of  the  scheme  for  padding  circulation.  The 
verv  extent  of  the  evil  was  undoubtedly  the  cause  of  its  rapid 
elimination,  and  the  buyer  of  advertising  quickly  began  to 
demand  further  information. 

Sworn  Statements 

On  account  of  the  absence  of  reliabiltiy  in  connection  with 
circulation  statements  issued  by  publications,  it  became  custom- 
arv  among  the  shrewd  buyers  of  advertising  to  demand  sworn 
statements  of  circulation  based  upon  the  responsibility  attach- 
ing to  the  making  of  an  oath  in  connection  with  any  such  mat- 
ter. These  sworn  statements  undoubtedly  restricted  the  pad- 
ding of  circulation  totals  and  so  proved  to  be  the  entering 
wedge  in  securing  needed  circulation  reform.     That,  however. 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  439 

did  not  indicate  in  what  way  the  circulation  had  been  secured, 
nor  whether  the  totals  mentioned  actually  had  been  issued  in 
such  a  way  as  to  seem  valuable  to  the  advertiser.  It  became 
necessary,  therefore,  to  go  further  than  the  actual  sworn  state- 
ment and  a  demand  was  made  upon  the  publisher  for  state- 
ments to  be  made  by  responsible  auditors  of  the  condition  of 
his  business  in  respect  to  circulation. 

Territorial   Analysis 

Inasmuch  as  total  circulation  simply  meant  the  number  of 
copies  distributed,  the  first  call  from  the  advertiser  was  for  a 
comparison  between  the  total  circulation  and  the  net  paid  cir- 
culation, or  the  number  of  copies  actually  paid  for,  so  that  the 
proportion  of  free  copies  to  the  total  circulation  might  be  deter- 
mined. 

The  wider  influence  of  many  classes  of  media  and  the  exten- 
sion of  their  circulation  through  large  territories  made  it  neces- 
sary for  the  advertiser  to  have  some  way  of  determining  the 
relative  proportion  of  circulation  going  to  his  particular  field 
and  consequently  the  amount  of  waste  in  comparison  with  the 
net  possibility  in  respect  to  his  own  proposition.  This  deter- 
mined the  advertiser's  request  for  territorial  circulation,  di- 
vided either  by  states  or  in  some  arbitrary  way  so  as  to  illus- 
trate the  proportions  within  specified  fields.  An  extension  of 
the  same  idea  due  to  the  necessity  for  intensifying  work  in 
certain  sections,  resulted  in  the  demand  by  advertisers  for  the 
circulation  analysis  in  cities  over  and  under  certain  sizes,  this 
dem.and  being  dependent  upon  the  distribution  of  the  product 
and  its  influence  in  respect  to  the  population  area. 

Other  Details  of  Analysis 

The  constant  endeavor  of  the  advertiser  to  segregate  as 
much  as  possible  his  buying  of  circulation  to  agree  with  the 
people  who  represented  his  prospective  customers,  has  resulted 


440  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

in  a  demand  for  circulation  analysis  along  many  of  the  lines 
besides  those  mentioned.  There  are  two  difficulties  in  regard 
to  circulation  buying  which  confront  the  advertiser  at  each 
step  in  his  analysis.  The  one  difficulty  is  the  impossibility  of 
estimating  the  relation  of  probable  readers  of  advertisements 
to  the  total  circulation ;  and  the  other  is  the  relation  of  the  pos- 
sible buyers  of  a  product  to  the  total  circulation.  The  constant 
demand  for  this  information  and  the  large  obstacles  in  the  way 
have  resulted  in  the  advertiser's  asking  for  analysis  of  circula- 
tion by  occupation,  by  position  and  by  buying  power. 

Practically  all  these  items  are  confined  to  the  general  maga- 
zines, technical,  class,  and  trade  journals.  It  is  obvious  that 
the  universality  of  the  newspaper  clientele,  together  with  its 
method  of  distribution  through  news  dealers  and  news  stands, 
makes  it  impossible  to  secure  such  information,  so  that  no  at- 
tempt has  been  made  to  determine  it  in  these  cases.  Further- 
more, the  functions  of  the  newspapers  are  such  that  analysis 
of  this  kind  is  not  important  in  their  case. 

In  respect  to  the  magazines,  general  magazines  particularly, 
extending  as  they  do  over  a  wide  field  with  limited  circulation 
in  any  field,  analysis  of  circulation  from  one  or  other  of  these 
standpoints  is  of  the  utmost  importance  in  measuring  the  pro- 
portion of  the  circulation  which  will  be  of  real  or  of  any  value 
to  the  advertiser. 

It  is  obvious  that  if  there  is  in  a  town  of  100,000  only  10.000 
magazine  circulation,  serious  defects  in  such  circulation  from 
the  standpoint  of  the  particular  advertiser  would  so  attenuate 
the  value  as  to  make  the  strength  of  such  circulation  in  propor- 
tion to  the  population  of  very  doubtful  influence. 

Analysis  by  occupation,  however,  while  it  is  true  that  it  does 
in  general  illustrate  something  of  the  financial  limitations,  does 
not  illustrate  the  buying  power  because  the  terms  which  are 
ap[)lied  to  occupations  embrace  so  many  different  classes  of 
workers  that  they  are  limited  only  within  very  wide  boundaries. 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  441 

The  statement,  for  instance,  that  a  man  is  a  mechanical  engi- 
neer is  of  no  value  in  estimating  his  buying  power  for  a  piano 
or  an  automobile,  inasmuch  as  there  are  mechanical  engineers 
working  for  $25  a  week  as  well  as  those  working  for  $25,000 
a  year,  and  the  first  are  in  the  majority.  In  fact,  thousands  of 
mechanical  engineers  are  earning  less  than  $3,000  a  year  for 
tens  who  are  earning  over  $5,000.  The  same  thing  is  true  in 
all  divisions  made  in  occupational  lines.  Consequently,  the 
occupational  analysis  of  circulation  is  of  value  largely  to  the 
company  supplying  products  or  materials  entering  into  the 
occupational  work  of  the  individual  in  such  a  way  that  they 
are  practically  necessary  to  his  proficiency,  and  therefore  are 
secured  without  respect  to  buying  power  in  other  directions. 

Analysis  of  position  is  another  method  of  determining  the 
value  of  the  audience  from  the  standpoint  of  the  sales  work  of 
advertising.  This  method  of  circulation  analysis  is  practically 
confined  to  the  technical  and  trade  paper,  principally  because 
of  the  fact  that  a  large  portion  of  the  circulation  of  such 
papers  is  taken  out  in  the  names  of  corporations,  and  conse- 
quently the  character  of  the  circulation  is  not  illustrated  by  the 
subscription  list  in  any  way. 

This  is  particularly  the  case  where  the  corporations  are  not 
large  enough  to  be  subdivided  into  many  departments  but 
where  the  power  is  still  centered  in  the  hands  of  a  few  so  that 
the  men  to  be  influenced  may  not  be  by  any  means  the  men 
who  read  the  publication.  For  such  papers  there  is  evidently 
no  better  circulation  analysis.  There  are  two  factors  of  im- 
portance to  the  man  who  sells :  the  person  who  buys ;  and  the 
persons  who  influence  the  buying.  The  actual  importance  of 
these  factors  relatively  varies  not  only  with  the  business  but 
with  each  particular  organization.  Analysis  of  circulation  in 
any  line  of  industry  by  the  position  of  the  subscriber  will  illus- 
trate the  percentage  of  buyers  and  the  percentage  of  those  who 
influence  buying  but  do  not  actually  write  the  order. 


442  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Analysis  by  buying  power  is  something  to  be  desired  but  is 
only  possible  in  certain  limited,  well  defined  and  segregated 
fields.  So  much  of  the  buying  which  is  indulged  in  by  human 
beings,  outside  of  the  bare  necessities,  and  even  in  connection 
with  some  of  these  necessities,  is  influenced  by  particular  tastes 
and  prejudices  that  it  is  not  concerned  intimately  with  the  eco- 
nomic status  in  any  particular  cases  although,  of  course,  the 
whole  volume  of  consumption  is  practically  governed  in  that 
way. 

People  who  are  in  a  position  where  the  statistician  would  say 
they  were  unable  to  buy  some  particular  article,  are  constantly 
and  continually  using  the  product  as  one  of  their  few  luxuries. 
It  is  characteristic  of  human  nature  that  some  things  w^hich 
can  be  done  without,  or  which  can  be  purchased  in  a  cheaper 
form,  are  classed  among  the  prized  habits  and  possessions  of 
every  buying  unit.  Food  product  manufacturers  and  other 
people  supplying  articles  which  are  considered  to  be  of  high 
quality,  and  correspondingly  high  prices,  have  been  astonished 
to  find  the  enormous  amount  of  business  which  could  be  devel- 
oped in  those  sections  which  are  peopled  by  the  poorest  classes 
and  those  least  fitted  from  an  economic  standpoint  to  be  pur- 
chasers. In  fact,  this  has  become  such  a  significant  propor- 
tion of  consumption  in  connection  with  commodities  that  spe- 
cial effort  has  been  spent  to  secure  and  retain  it. 

There  are,  however,  certain  things  which  demand  a  consid- 
erable cash  outlay  and  which  of  necessity  are  constantly  limited 
to  people  having  a  certain  economic  status.  In  other  words, 
while  it  is  not  possible  to  determine  the  people  who  will  buy, 
it  is  possible  to  make  a  pretty  accurate  statement  of  those  who 
cannot  buy.  Where  articles,  for  instance,  call  for  a  cash  ex- 
penditure of  a  considerable  amount  (as  in  the  case  of  automo- 
biles) it  is  possible  to  place  a  limit  of  income  below  which 
neither  the  cash  expenditure  nor  the  operating  expenditure 
can  be  readily  furnished,  on  account  of  the  fact  that,  although 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  443 

the  cash  expenditure  might  be  furnished  in  individual  cases,  the 
operating  expenditure  involved  would  be  an  absolute  bar  to 
the  purchase. 

Furthermore,  even  where  there  is  no  large  operating  expen- 
diture connected  with  the  outlay,  the  very  fact  that  an  outlay 
of  such  a  large  amount  is  required,  is  enough  to  make  the 
buying  public  below  a  certain  income  negligible  as  a  portion  of 
the  business. 

Where  goods  of  this  kind  have  been  the  principal  products 
of  advertisers,  some  of  them  have  secured  investigations  from 
some  of  the  publications,  or  have  made  their  own  investiga- 
tions of  the  circulation,  based  upon  analysis  of  a  certain  per- 
centage of  the  readers  compared  with  tax  lists,  assessments, 
and  rents.  In  one  case  where  the  investigation  was  very  care- 
fully carried  out,  covering  fifteen  cities  in  as  many  states,  and 
covering  twenty-five  magazines,  it  was  found  that  the  people 
who  could  spend  over  a  thousand  dollars  in  cash  or  $25  a 
month  (figured  from  the  above  basis)  varied  so  much  as  be- 
tween one  magazine  and  another  that  in  some  cases  a  maga- 
zine of  100,000  circulation  represented  in  actual  numbers  a 
larger  audience  of  the  kind  required  by  the  advertiser  than  a 
magazine  of  500,000.  It  was  found  that  one  magazine  of 
approximately  150,000  circulation  at  the  time  figured  103,000 
who  could  afford  to  spend  that  amount  of  money;  whereas, 
out  of  500,000  circulation  of  the  other  magazine  only  75,000 
were  in  that  position. 

Paid  upon  the  basis  of  ordinary  space  rates,  a  page  in  the 
first  magazine  would  cost  $150.  Actually  it  would  cost  $250 
a  page,  inasmuch  as  the  space  rate  w^as  above  standard.  In  the 
second  case,  the  page  rate  was  $500  for  less  audience.  The 
amount  of  time  and  expense  involved  in  investigating  in  this 
way  has  confined  it  to  the  place  where  it  is  obviously  of  most 
value  and  to  a  very  few  publications.  It  is  evident,  however, 
that  this  part  of  the  circulation  analysis  will  develop  as  com- 


444  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

petition  becomes  keener  and  the  necessity  for  increased  effi- 
ciency becomes  more  apparent. 

Editorial  Policy  and  Circulation 

The  value  of  editorial  policy  as  an  indication  of  the  char- 
acter and  value  of  the  audience  has  always  been  recognized 
very  thoroughly,  although  the  factors  which  have  contributed 
to  that  influence  have  not  been  so  thoroughly  understood. 

The  character  and  style  of  the  editorial,  the  actual  phrase- 
ology which  is  used  in  all  departments  of  the  reading  pages, 
influence  the  character  of  the  audience  so  deeply  that  they  form 
today  a  most  reliable  basis  of  circulation  analysis  if  they  are 
thoroughly  investigated  and  followed. 

Apart  from  the  editorial  policy,  however,  the  general  pur- 
pose of  the  publication,  the  interests  to  which  it  responds  are 
themselves  an  illustration  of  the  publication's  strength  or  weak- 
ness from  the  standpoint  of  circulation  value.  The  interests 
of  human  beings  are  divided  and  subdivided  into  primary,  sec- 
ondary, tertiary,  etc.,  interests;  some  of  them  exceedingly 
strong  and  fundamental  so  that  they  are  deeply  absorbing  and 
intense;  others  so  little  affecting  the  general  attitude  upon  life 
that  they  are  almost  academic,  theoretical,  and  both  leisurely 
and  shallow.  Between  these  lie  interests  varying  to  all  degrees 
of  intensity  and  permanency.  It  is  evident  that  the  interest 
which  the  magazine  serves  is  of  fundamental  importance  in 
determining  the  permanency  and  the  bond  of  sympathy  which 
lies  between  the  publication  and  its  readers.  In  respect  to 
some  publications  this  becomes  so  important  and  so  intensely 
a  part  of  their  audience  that  belief  in  and  reliance  upon  such 
publications  amount  almost  to  a  religion,  and  criticism  is  apt 
to  breed  a  trial  for  heresy. 

Furthermore,  the  editorial  department,  if  it  is  to  be  success- 
ful, must  of  necessity  learn  to  feel  the  pulse  of  the  public  so 
accurately  that  it  can  determine  just  what  the  attitude  of  the 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  445 

audience  will  be  towards  the  material  which  goes  into  the  edi- 
torial pages.  It  knows  just  about  how  many  readers  will  be 
interested  in  any  particular  article,  and  upon  the  strength  of 
that  knowledge,  gained  painfully  by  experience,  it  intuitively 
judges  and  uses  the  material  which  comes  to  it  for  publication. 
Such  judgment  of  the  editorial  department  is  formed  by  the 
fluctuations  in  circulation,  by  the  written  expressions  of  sub- 
scribers, by  the  tangible  and  observed  results  which  follow  the 
publication  of  the  material. 

It  has  always  been  a  matter  of  astonishment  to  the  writer 
that  these  tangible  results  and  expressions  should  be  allowed  to 
pass  day  by  day  through  the  office  of  the  publication  without 
any  attempt  to  collect,  record,  and  classify  them,  so  that  some 
fundamental  rules  in  regard  to  human  interest  would  have  been 
determined  by  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  cases  which  would 
so  accumulate.  Careful  study,  however,  will  show  the  adver- 
tising man  the  relative  character  and  value  of  the  different  audi- 
ences which  are  accumulating  to  the  different  publications, 
through  correspondence  with  subscribers,  fluctuations  in  circu- 
lation, etc.,  by  which  he  could  choose  the  one  or  the  other. 

Advertising  Policy  and  Circulation 

"  Advertising  is  built  upon  confidence."  The  advertising 
man  has  used  this  phrase  for  his  own  purposes,  although  it  is 
obvious  that  it  covers  the  whole  of  industry.  Advertising  is 
not  the  only  thing  that  is  built  on  confidence :  the  whole  atmos- 
phere of  commerce  is  nothing  more  or  less  than  an  expression 
of  human  confidence  of  one  unit  in  another.  Advertising  is, 
however,  the  closest  expression  of  such  confidence  because  it 
depends  for  its  success  upon  the  written  or  printed  word  and 
not  upon  the  intervention  of  personal  contact.  Personal  psy- 
chology may  create  confidence  for  the  moment,  establishing  a 
condition  between  the  two  personalities  which  does  not  extend 
to  the  goods  or  which  does  not  survive  beyond  the  period  of 


446  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

contact.  No  influences  of  this  kind  enter  into  advertising.  It 
is  dependent  entirely  upon  the  confidence  placed  upon  the  ex- 
pressed claims  of  the  one  by  the  other.  The  advertising  man, 
therefore,  has  realized  more  than  any  other  man  in  business 
the  necessity  for  fighting  all  influences  which  tend  to  destroy 
that  confidence.  Most  important  to  him  of  such  influences  are 
those  fraudulent  or  fake  advertising  schemes  which  are  in- 
tended to  deceive  the  public  without  giving  them  value  in  return 
for  their  money.  Such  schemes  not  only  injure  the  publica- 
tion, the  particular  victim  of  the  advertiser,  etc..  but  they  injure 
the  cause  of  all  advertising  by  reducing  the  confidence  which 
each  victim  of  such  fake  advertisements  has  in  the  general 
value  of  advertising. 

The  necessity  for  permanency  of  profit  in  legitimate  busi- 
ness, in  order  to  acquire  the  business  and  return  upon  the 
capital,  imposes  upon  the  advertising  man  who  is  connected 
with  such  business  the  necessity  for  doing  everything  which 
will  establish  and  fix  the  confidence  of  the  public.  He  is  conse- 
quently obliged  to  become  an  earnest  reformer  in  urging  the 
establishment  of  advertising  policies  in  respect  to  all  publica- 
tions which  will  eliminate  the  bad  company  that  destroys  con- 
fidence not  only  in  its  own  value  but  in  the  value  of  those  sur- 
rounding it. 

Profitable  Business  an  "  Ethical  Matter  " 

It  is  being  slowly  realized  by  all  business  men  that  because 
of  this  necessity  for  permanency,  profitable  business  can  exist 
only  so  long  as  it  serves  the  public  and  consequently  it  becomes 
what  is  still  termed  an  "  ethical  matter,''  a  matter  of  service, 
in  order  to  be  a  thoroughly  successful  business  matter. 

The  advertising  man,  depending  upon  the  most  modern  prac- 
tice in  marketing,  depending  more  than  any  other  man  upon 
permanency  of  profit  for  the  proper  expression  of  his  work, 
must  of  necessity  be  interested  in  the  co-ordination  of  the 


PERIODICAL  MEDIA  447 

fundamental  economic  and  the  present  practical  policies.  It  is 
for  this  reason  that  we  find  him  persistently  standing  on  the 
side  of  legitimate,  careful,  honorable  business  methods  and 
fighting  those  methods  which  are  calculated  to  destroy  rather 
than  to  create  and  build. 

Inasmuch  as  the  value  of  circulation  depends  upon  the  bond 
of  sympathy  between  the  publication  and  the  subscribers,  it  is 
evident  that  the  value  of  the  advertising  in  connection  there- 
with depends  largely  upon  the  confidence  between  the  advertis- 
ing page  and  the  subscriber.  As  a  consequence  the  actual  value 
per  i.ooo  of  circulation  is  naturally  decreased  according  to  the 
number  and  character  of  the  objectionable  advertisements 
which  are  carried  in  the  pages  of  the  medium. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE  FIELD  OF  THE  NEWSPAPER,  SERVICE, 
LOCAL  PRESTIGE,  ETC. 

The  Function  of  the  Newspaper 

The  newspaper  as  a  medium  of  advertising  has  a  very  dis- 
tinct field  in  which  it  is  pre-eminently  important,  on  account  of 
both  the  reason  for  its  existence  and  the  universality  of  its  use 
in  any  particular  community.  The  instinct  for  news  is  prac- 
tically existent  in  all  types  of  people  under  all  conditions  of 
civilization.  Where  the  illiteracy  of  a  people  prevents  them 
from  being  able  to  accumulate  their  news  through  the  medium 
of  the  daily  or  weekly  newspapers,  the  place  is  filled  (of  course 
to  a  much  smaller  degree)  by  the  gossip  which  is  carried  from 
person  to  person  with  astonishing  rapidity  through  the  entire 
district.  Of  necessity,  where  conditions  are  such  that  the  peo- 
ple in  a  community  must  depend  upon  this  method  for  the 
news,  it  is  so  meager,  so  intensely  local,  so  limited,  that  the 
want  of  ability  to  read  is  justly  considered  as  an  almost  exact 
index  of  the  ignorance  of  a  people  or  a  community. 

The  strength  of  a  newspaper  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  caters  to 
a  greater  or  less  extent  to  the  instinctive  desire  for  news  which 
is  inherent  in  nearly  everybody,  and  the  same  fact  also  limits 
its  field  and  determines  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  from 
an  advertising  standpoint.  It  is  obvious  that  the  newspaper 
w^ould  be  the  last  reading  matter  to  be  given  up  bv  the  ma- 
jority of  people  if  the  opportunity  and  necessitv  for  such  a 
choice  were  to  be  put  up  for  their  decision.  There  are.  of 
course,  numerous  exceptions  to  this  as  to  any  other  general 

448 


THE  FIELD  OF  THE  NEWSPAPER  449 

rule  which  deals  with  human  nature ;  but  the  exceptions  do  not 
disturb  the  general  tendency,  which  undoubtedly  is  to  make  the 
newspaper  (within  the  limitations  of  its  field)  a  vital  necessity 
in  the  life  of  any  people  who  are  sufficiently  educated  to  be  able 
to  read. 

The  fundamental  value  of  this  proposition  as  a  determining 
factor  in  newspaper  consideration  will  also  give  an  index  to 
the  character  and  education  of  the  community,  for  the  actual 
contents  of  a  newspaper  are  based  upon  the  desires  and  interest 
of  the  people  who  will  read  it.  The  recognition  of  this  strength 
in  the  field  of  the  newspaper  does  not,  however,  imply  that 
these  mediums  are  necessarily  of  value  in  every  campaign  of 
advertising  and  without  regard  to  the  character,  interest  and 
make-up  of  the  particular  newspaper  involved. 

Any  particular  newspaper  in  a  field  has  a  tendency  to  gather 
its  clientele  largely  from  one  or  another  of  certain  well  defined 
types  of  people.  It  is  necessary  here  to  distinguish  between 
types  and  classes.  Classes  of  people  are  commonly  divided 
according  to  the  similarity  of  their  occupation  or  the  extent  of 
their  buying  power,  which  may  be  expressed  in  rough  general 
divisions  either  socially  or  in  business  language.  The  type  is 
due,  however,  to  environment,  education,  temperament,  and 
heredity  considerations,  and  while  of  necessity  on  account  of 
the  influence  of  the  environment  and  occupation,  the  type  may 
approximate  the  class  distinction  in  some  cases;  on  the  other 
hand,  types  are  not  in  the  least  correlated  with  buying  power, 
and  all  the  general  types  of  people  may  be  necessary  for  the 
exploitation  of  a  single  commodity.  In  other  words,  the  type 
division  is  a  psychological  one,  while  the  class  division  is  merely 
an  artificial  one  created  by  business  or  social  considerations. 

Types  of  Readers 

It  is  inevitable  that  the  particular  newspaper,  influenced  by 
a  certain  type  of  editorial  policy  which  runs  through  the  writ- 


450  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

ing  of  all  news,  should  have  a  well  defined  tendency  to  attract 
to  itself  as  readers,  people  who  approximate  one  or  another  of 
the  well  defined  types,  and  this  is  so  without  respect  to  political 
affiliations  or  opinions.  The  newspaper  which  deals  with 
news  of  a  personal  nature,  or  which  amplifies  the  personal  ele- 
ment in  all  news,  must  of  necessity  attract  as  its  regular  readers 
those  to  whom  all  interest  in  things  must  center  around  a  per- 
sonality. As  a  general  matter,  women  will  usually  be  found 
to  be  large  readers  of  such  newspapers.  That  paper  which 
seeks  in  its  gatherings  and  writing  of  news  to  play  up  the  sen- 
sational, the  unusual,  the  startling,  will  naturally  draw  to  itself 
those  people  with  whom  the  play  of  emotions  is  of  paramount 
interest,  and  in  general  it  will  be  found  that  such  a  love  for  the 
sensational  which  allows  the  emotions  free  play,  is  co-existent 
with  a  lower  order  of  intelligence  and  a  more  restricted  out- 
look, both  physically  and  mentally. 

This  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  such  newspapers  are 
exclusively  read  by  people  who  have  little  or  no  money  to 
spend.  A  small  or  restricted  outlook,  either  in  a  mental  or  a 
physical  sense,  is  not  always  confined  to  those  whose  occupa- 
tion and  buying  power  is  of  no  importance  in  the  scale  of 
things.  Those  papers  which  endeavor  to  gather  accurately 
the  news  of  larger  interest  affecting  the  world  at  large,  and 
which  naturally  appeal  to  a  class  of  readers  who  are  to  some 
extent  (either  by  business  interest,  general  education,  tempera- 
ment or  environment)  predisposed  to  a  more  than  academic 
interest  in  things  which  have  no  immediate  effect  upon  their 
living  or  their  pleasures  —  will  in  general  require  a  higher 
order  of  intelligence  to  appreciate  and  interest,  although  this 
does  not  necessarily  imply  a  larger  buying  power. 

This  explanation  of  the  tendency  of  the  newspapers  to  cater 
to  certain  types  of  people  is  necessary  in  order  to  show  that  the 
newspaper,  on  account  of  the  necessity  from  which  it  grows, 
the  universality  of  the  instinct  to  which  it  caters,  and  the  gen- 


THE  FIELD  OF  THE  NEWSPAPER  451 

eral  considerations  involved,  cannot  control  entirely  the  buying 
power  of  its  clientele  or  their  value  for  a  particular  proposition. 

Advantages  and  Disadvantages 

The  newspaper,  on  account  of  its  position  and  the  character 
of  its  reading  pages,  without  respect  to  its  policy,  is  of  neces- 
sity a  concentrating  force,  having  a  tendency  to  consolidate  the 
force  of  the  advertising  on  one  community,  and  consequently 
produce  more  rapid,  more  thorough,  and  more  effective  local 
stimulation.  It  is  to  be  doubted,  however,  whether  there  is 
much  eiTect  carried  beyond  the  borders  which  naturally  limit 
the  newspaper  published  in  any  one  particular  place.  The 
readers  of  the  newspaper  include  all  classes,  and  consequently, 
the  proportion  of  readers  of  the  newspaper  which  belongs  to 
any  one  particular  class  represents  only  a  small  proportion  of 
the  total. 

In  fact,  the  strength  of  the  newspaper  as  an  advertising  me- 
dium lies  in  the  same  plane  as  its  strength  as  a  general  news 
medium.  It  carries  to  the  people  those  items  of  interest  which 
in  general  appeal  to  the  whole  community ;  it  cannot  devote 
more  than  a  modicum  of  space  to  interests  which  concern  only 
a  very  small  proportion  (the  covering  of  such  fields  on  account 
of  this  fact  having  been  turned  over  to  publications  which 
deal  specially  and  only  with  the  classes  involved). 

As  an  advertising  medium  also  the  newspaper  displays  its 
greatest  strength  with  commodities  which  are  of  general  inter- 
est to  the  people  and  in  more  or  less  general  use.  Where  the 
commodities  are  of  interest  and  in  use  only  by  a  very  small 
and  limited  class,  the  power  of  the  newspaper  is  to  a  large 
extent  wasted,  because  its  shots  are  scattered  over  such  a  large 
number  of  people  in  comparison,  that  the  concentrating 
strength  which  should  be  of  more  consideration  is  of  necessity 
lost.  Outside  of  the  conditions  which  naturally  limit  a  news- 
naper  to  a  more  or  less  local  sphere  of  influence,  the  conditions 


452  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

surrounding  the  newspaper  itself,  and  as  a  consequence  the 
advertising  in  it,  have  resulted  in  less  increase  in  strength  as  an 
advertising  medium  than  the  natural  advantages  of  the  propo- 
sition would  warrant.     These  conditions  are : 

1.  The  absence  of  any  definite  business  method  of  deter- 

mining rates. 

2.  The  absence  of  any  concerted  attempt  to  supervise  the 

character  of  the  advertising  accepted. 

While  there  are  many  important  exceptions,  the  newspaper 
is  the  last  stand  of  the  stock  swindler,  the  real  estate  swindler, 
the  patent  medicine  and  cure-all  fake,  and  the  rest  of  that 
brotherhood  who  have  so  long  taken  advantage  of  the  force 
of  advertising  to  separate  the  gullible  portion  of  the  public 
from  their  money  without  returning  value  in  proportion. 

It  is  a  pleasure  to  add  that  this  condition  is  rapidly  changing, 
largely  through  the  efforts  of  the  Associated  Advertising  Clubs 
of  the  World,  the  Association  of  National  Advertisers  and  the 
local  advertising  clubs. 

Lack  of  Censorship  of  Advertising 

We  have  seen  in  New  York  City  papers  advertisements  of 
the  sale  of  stock  by  promoters  who  were  afterwards  pictured 
on  the  first  page  of  the  same  papers  as  on  trial  for  their  crim- 
inal actions.  Inconsistency  such  as  this  must  of  necessity 
breed  that  kind  of  suspicion  which  affects  very  seriously  the 
efficiency  of  all  advertising,  and  from  which,  if  it  is  ever  to 
take  its  proper  place  as  an  honorable  business,  advertising  must 
free  itself  in  all  reputaljle  mediums. 

It  has  long  been  known  and  must  be  recognized  by  the  news- 
paper publishers  themselves,  that  most  newspapers  have  taken 
practically  any  advertising  which  came  along  without  much 
attempt  to  investigate.  Were  this  practice  confined  to  the 
country  weeklies  of  doubtful  value,  it  might  be  easily  taken 


THE  FIELD  OF  THE  NEWSPAPER  453 

care  of,  but  it  obtains  with  some  of  the  largest  newspapers  in 
the  country  and  there  is  apparently  neither  a  tendency  nor  a 
desire  materially  to  change  their  attitude.  We  should  not 
care  to  have  our  business  office  in  the  same  room  with  a  man 
whose  methods  were  questionable,  whose  actions  were  suspi- 
cious and  who  received  his  money  without  giving  any  value  in 
return.  If  we  did,  we  could  hardly  be  surprised  if  the  same 
suspicion  should  fall  upon  ourselves.  It  is  in  this  kind  of 
company  the  newspapers  frequently  ask  the  responsible  adver- 
tiser to  place  advertisements,  which  he  has  been  careful  to 
square  with  the  truth  of  the  proposition,  and  which  he  believes 
should  be  believed  by  the  public  who  read  them. 

Lack  of  Standardization  in  Rates 

From  all  the  information,  investigation,  and  careful  study 
which  have  been  made,  it  seems  impossible  to  find  that  the 
rates  in  newspapers  are  governed  by  any  regular  established 
method  of  proportioning,  nor  are  they  by  any  means  the  same 
to  different  advertisers.  An  experience  with  some  several 
hundred  mediums  of  this  class  has  indicated  the  apparent  lack 
of  any  method  of  determining  the  value  of  any  newspaper 
space  per  i,ooo  circulation.  "A  fair  price,  one  price,  and  no 
discrimination  "  has  become  the  cry  of  progressive  politicians 
and  of  the  people  in  many  states.  Not  a  few  newspapers  have 
been  powerful  in  leading  attacks  against  discriminations  prac- 
tised by  railroads,  large  manufacturers  and  others.  It  is  hard 
to  see  any  difference  between  such  discrimination  and  the  prac- 
tice of  the  newspaper  which  charges  one  advertiser  at  one  rate 
and  another  advertiser  at  so  greatly  reduced  expenditure  per 
line  as  to  be  altogether  outside  any  considerations  of  contract 
discount. 

The  newspaper  has  a  great  field.  For  a  great  many  com- 
modities it  is  the  only  medium  which  will  successfully  concen- 
trate the  local  effort  in  such  a  way  as  to  give  the  proper  sales 


454  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

for  the  particular  commodity  in  question.  In  many  cases  it  is 
of  advantage  in  stimulating  local  trade.  In  some  cases,  how- 
ever, its  very  limitations  make  its  value  doubtful  and  it  is  not 
every  commodity  which  can  be  successfully  advertised  in  it. 
It  has  a  strong  position,  however,  and  a  large  field  and  no 
medium  can  render  a  more  important  service  in  advertising: 
but  the  newspaper  has  neglected  to.  clean  its  columns,  it  has 
neglected  to  establish  its  rate  upon  an  equitable  basis,  it  has  not 
squared  its  business  policy  with  the  policy  of  the  editorial  de- 
partment, and  if  it  is  to  secure  the  prestige  in  advertising  and 
the  consequent  revenue  which  it  should  obtain,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary for  it  to  devote  some  time  and  attention  to  cleaning  house 
in  these  respects  so  that  the  advertiser  who  has  an  honest, 
straightforward  business  proposition  to  put  out  can  do  so  with 
some  knowledge  of  the  company  he  will  keep  and  the  equity  of 
the  cost. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

MAGAZINES,  TECHNICAL  AND  TRADE 
JOURNALS 

General  Magazines 

The  spread  of  education,  and  the  continual  accumulation  of 
wider  interests  due  to  the  availability  of  records,  and  to  the 
possibility  of  compressing  a  large  amount  of  information  in  a 
small  space,  created  a  desire  on  the  part  of  the  public,  or  some 
portions  of  it,  for  reading  matter  which  would  carry  out  a 
somewhat  different  idea  from  that  expressed  in  the  newspapers 
or  the  news  weekly. 

As  the  pressure  of  work  increased  through  the  simplification 
of  tasks  and  the  consequent  concentration,  the  necessity  for  re- 
laxation in  the  matter  of  reading  became  correspondingly  more 
important.  People  who  were  informed  and  experienced  on 
many  lines  felt  it  necessary  to  have  some  easy  method  of  keep- 
ing in  touch  with  the  progress  of  such  matters  without  being 
obliged  to  go  to  much  trouble  in  it  or  to  become  professionally 
expert.  The  interests,  the  relations,  the  general  entertainment 
of  the  public  became  continually  wider  so  that  it  was  necessary 
to  introduce  periodical  media  devoted  to  these  particular  pur- 
poses. Books  were  inconvenient  in  some  cases ;  they  cost  too 
much  to  be  read  at  leisure  and  discarded  after  reading;  they 
involved  more  concentration  than  the  average  reader  was  will- 
ing to  give  except  at  specified  times ;  they  provided  no  diversity 
and  consequently  did  not  give  the  complementary  character 
that  was  required  to  offset  the  routine  daily  task. 

General  magazines,  as  they  are  termed  by  the  advertising 

455 


456  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

man,  came  into  being  to  fulfill  the  desires  created  by  this  state 
of  affairs.  They  were  at  first  concerned  with  developing  every 
type  of  editorial  matter  which  was  of  interest,  and  the  enter- 
taining, educational,  humorous,  pictorial,  and  special  interest 
items  were  all  contained  in  the  covers  of  the  same  medium. 
Increasing  subdivision  of  human  requirements,  increasing  com- 
plication in  human  affairs  and  increasing  population  deter- 
mined further  subdivisions  which  swung  the  editorial  policy 
to  one  or  another  of  these  lines.  There  are  now  magazines 
devoted  entirely  to  the  exploitation  of  the  humorous,  maga- 
zines concerned  only  with  the  educational,  the  serious,  and  the 
controversial,  publications  w'hich  review  and  publications  which 
depend  for  their  interest  upon  the  pictures. 

It  is  true  that  a  great  many  of  the  publications  partake  of 
all  the  other  interests  as  well  as  the  principal  one  with  which 
they  are  concerned.  It  is  equally  true,  however,  that  there  is  a 
tendency  for  the  editorial  department  to  specialize  upon  one  or 
other  of  these  general  divisions  so  that  they  shall  have  a  cen- 
tral interest.  It  is  natural  that  it  should  be  so.  A  certain  per- 
sonality accumulates  around  the  periodical  medium.  It  is  of 
course  a  vague  personality  but  it  depends  for  its  existence 
upon  a  central  idea  embodying  the  reader's  conception  of  its 
editorial  policy.  The  definition  of  this  personality  is  in  fact 
almost  exactly  in  proportion  to  the  definition  of  its  editorial 
policy  along  certain  lines  and  consequently  the  clarity  with 
which  such  a  policy  can  be  visualized.  Each  of  these  types  of 
magazine  has  certain  functions  to  perform  which  make  it  more 
or  less  suitable  for  the  particular  purpose  for  which  it  is  to  be 
used.  In  some  cases  it  is  necessary  to  divide  them  by  such 
types  in  order  to  determine  their  relative  value.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  this  consideration,  however,  such  differences  may  be 
neglected  and  the  general  scope  of  the  magazine  determined 
as  it  is  considered  in  connection  with  all  the  types  of  general 
media. 


MAGAZINES  AND  TRADE  JOURNALS  457 

Field  and  Functions 

The  magazine  is  in  respect  to  its  advertising  policy  comple- 
mentary to  the  newspaper,  performing  entirely  different  func- 
tions and  having  entirely  different  measures  of  value.  The 
magaznie  is  extensive  territorially,  and  intensive  because  of  its 
segregation  from  a  circulation  standpoint ;  whereas  the  news- 
paper is  intensive  from  a  territorial  standpoint  and  extensive 
from  a  circulation  standpoint. 

The  magazine,  through  its  special  interest  or  interests,  ac- 
cumulates to  itself  an  audience  composed  of  those  people  in 
each  community  over  the  whole  country  or  the  whole  world 
who  are  sufficiently  concerned  in  those  interests  to  be  anxious 
to  read  the  matter  in  regard  to  them  and  to  pay  for  that  read- 
ing. Considered  from  a  circulation  standpoint,  th-erefore,  it 
has  a  tendency  to  pick  out  from  a  general  bulk  of  the  popula- 
tion those  people  who  are  interested  in  certain  special  matters 
or  whose  education  is  sufficiently  advanced  to  require  extended 
reading  over  and  above  the  reading  w'hich  can  be  secured  from 
the  local  media.  The  magazine,  therefore,  must  operate 
through  a  larger  territory  than  the  newspaper  because  it  will 
appeal  to  a  smaller  percentage  and  to  more  specialized  classes 
of  the  population. 

The  periodical  which  deals  with  the  more  general  affairs 
covers  a  wider  field  and  acquires  by  this  means  a  prestige  which 
is  not  accorded  to  the  local  media  largely  concerned  with  and 
distributed  through  a  small  territory.  It  argues  an  impor- 
tance in  the  subject  matter  interest  w-hich  is  sufficient  to  elimi- 
nate the  territorial  differences  and  to  draw  to  it  readers  over  a 
wide  area.  This  same  prestige  and  importance  naturally  ap- 
plies in  a  measure  to  the  advertising  which  appears  therein. 
Furthermore,  it  provides  a  natural  selection  of  the  readers  who 
have  a  good  many  advertising  requirements  and  eliminates 
some  of  the  w^aste  which  might  otherwise  be  incurred.  It  can- 
not be  used  for  intensive  cultivation  but  it  is  a  very  important 


458  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

factor  in  the  improvement  of  the  condition  of  the  general  field 
which  it  covers. 

Its  place  in  the  advertising  equipment  is  very  distinct  and 
easily  defined,  as  the  functions  which  it  fulfils  to  its  readers 
carry  with  them  an  explanation  of  its  possibilities  and  its  own 
limitations.  It  is  a  leisure  time  publication  and  receives  in  this 
respect  more  attention  and  probably  more  careful  reading  than 
the  local  media.  It  has  a  tendency  to  exert  a  more  powerful 
influence  upon  the  habits  of  mind  of  the  people  who  are  part  of 
its  regular  audience  and  as  a  consequence  within  the  limits  of 
its  field  its  value  is  unquestioned.  It  is  valual)le,  as  its  term 
implies,  for  general  advertising,  and  its  use  in  this  connection 
is  entirely  justified  and  in  fact  to  be  desired  from  the  functions 
which  it  is  capable  of  performing. 

Women's  Publications 

The  economic  importance  of  the  women  of  the  household, 
due  to  the  percentage  of  material  in  general  consumption  which 
goes  into  the  household  or  is  influenced  by  the  women,  is  so 
great  that  all  classes  of  media  pay  a  great  deal  of  attention  to 
the  requirements  of  the  women,  and  certain  media  are  devoted 
entirely  to  their  needs. 

Professor  Ilollingworth  estimated  from  his  investigations 
of  a  few  years  ago  that  the  women  either  bought  or  influenced 
the  buying  of  80  per  cent  of  the  articles  which  went  into  the 
household,  including  the  clothing  of  the  male  members  of  the 
family,  and  it  is  evident  from  the  trend  of  recent  advertising 
that  the  attitude  of  the  woman  and  her  importance  in  connec- 
tion with  all  these  matters  is  being  more  keenly  appreciated. 

It  is  logical,  therefore,  that  a  great  many  of  the  periodicals 
which  cover  the  country  generally,  and  those  having  the  largest 
circulation  for  the  number  of  media,  should  be  devoted  entirely 
to  the  wants,  interests  and  relaxations  of  women.  The  wom- 
an's magazine  to  the  women  of  the  household  approximates 


MAGAZINES  AND  TRADE  JOURNALS  459 

the  relation  of  the  farm  paper  to  the  farmer.  It  is  not  entirely 
a  matter  of  business  but  it  is  so  closely  related  with  the  prin- 
cipal objects  and  wants  of  her  life  that  it  has  ceased  to  function 
according  to  the  general  magazines  and  approximates  the  farm 
journal  or  trade  journal  in  its  action.  So  much  of  the  life  of 
the  women  of  the  household  is  represented  by  considerations 
fully  as  important  from  their  economic  requirements  as  the 
business  consideration  of  the  men,  that  information  upon  such 
points  is  not  only  valuable  but  in  most  cases  absolutely  neces- 
sary. Furthermore,  the  general  tendency  of  w^omen's  clothing 
to  change  rapidly  from  season  to  season  in  its  style,  the  neces- 
sity for  keeping  up  with  changes  in  social  requirements,  the 
desirability  of  being  informed  upon  club  movements,  etc.,  as 
well  as  the  generally  extending  horizon  of  the  women,  make  the 
w^omen's  publication  as  nearly  a  necessity  as  anything  can  be 
which  does  not  cater  distinctly  to  the  news  instinct.  It  will  be 
observed  that  these  special  functions  of  women's  publications 
entitle  them  to  an  advertising  consideration  which  cannot  be 
given  to  the  general  media.  The  relation  between  the  sub-  \ 
scriber  and  the  magazine  is  much  more  intimate,  the  interest  in  / 
the  editorial  policy  much  keener  and  the  relation  between  the^ 
editorial  and  the  advertising  pages  much  closer,  than  is  the 
case  with  the  other  general  media. 

To  advertise  in  the  magazine  with  a  number  of  recipes  some 
of  the  material  which  should  enter  into  those  recipes  is  obvi- 
ously approaching  the  maximum  of  suggestion.  To  advertise 
labor  saving  devices  for  the  kitchen  in  the  same  magazine 
where  discussions  are  continually  taking  place  as  to  the  pos- 
sibility of  reducing  the  drudgery  of  the  household  comes  very 
close  to  the  acme  of  periodical  media  efficiency.  The  possibili- 
ties of  relating  products  ured  in  the  home  or  by  the  women 
to  the  editorial  interest  in  such  magazines  are  so  great  and  in- 
volve so  many  thousands  of  items  that  the  advertising  possi- 
bilities are  unusually  favorable. 


46c  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

The  functions  of  women's  publications  in  this  regard  make  it 
possible  to  segregate  the  work  in  connection  with  items  of  gen- 
eral consumption  for  the  household  for  prestige  and  general 
advertising  much  more  easily  than  in  any  other  class  of  general 
media. 

Of  course,  the  editorial  requirements  in  this  connection  are 
unusually  severe.  The  styles  suggested  by  the  magazine  must 
be  authoritative  and  delivered  to  the  subscriber  at  the  time 
they  are  news.  The  recipes,  the  articles  of  interest  to  the 
household,  questions  of  education  of  the  young,  etc..  must  of 
necessity  be  developed  so  as  to  show  authority  of  the  highest 
type,  in  order  to  give  the  advertising  value  which  is  necessary 
to  fulfil  properly  the  important  functions  represented  by  the 
media. 

The  obvious  care  with  which  women  must  regard  every  item 
entering  into  the  household  affairs,  because  of  the  importance 
which  such  affairs  assume  in  their  lives,  makes  it  possible  to 
presume  their  interest  in  connection  with  the  reading  of  wom- 
en's publications  which  cannot  be  so  safely  assumed  in  some  of 
the  other  cases,  although  it  may  be  there.  Furthermore,  it 
should  be  noted  that  in  the  matter  of  dress  and  other  items  of 
personal  adornment,  the  actual  manufacture  of  the  product  has 
so  much  to  do  with  its  applicability  to  the  particular  individual, 
that  the  advertising  pages  conveying  these  items  to  the  reader 
are  apt  to  be  studied  almost  as  closely  as  the  reading  pages. 

These  things  all  have  a  tendency  to  make  the  women's  pub- 
lications particularly  valuable  on  account  of  the  strength  of 
their  appeal  to  women.  The  disadvantages  connected  with  this 
style  of  medium  are  similar  to  those  found  in  the  general  maga- 
zine field  and  are  largely  involved  in  the  territorial  weakness  of 
the  women's  publication  from  the  standpoint  of  its  intensive 
effect  upon  sales  and  consequently  its  lack  of  influence  from 
the  standpoint  of  volume  in  respect  of  articles  of  very  general 
consumption.     This  disadvantage  is  added  to  from  the  stand- 


MAGAZINES  AND  TRADE  JOURNALS  461 

point  of  some  products  by  the  lack  of  action  incentive  always 
to  be  connected  with  media  which  are  primarily  concerned  with 
the  leisure  moments,  although  in  the  case  of  women's  publi- 
cations the  importance  of  the  subjects  dealt  in  to  some  extent 
offsets  this  particular  disadvantage. 

It  is  evident  that  it  is  impossible  also  in  the  women's  publi- 
cations to  get  the  rapid  fire  action  which  is  sometimes  neces- 
sary to  stimulate  sales  within  some  particular  territorial  limi- 
tations. 

Trade  Journals 

Trade  journals  are  those  publications  which  are  devoted  to 
the  dissemination  of  news  and  the  consideration  of  questions 
relating  to  the  distributing  of  products  of  a  certain  industry 
or  products  handled  through  a  certain  line  of  distributors. 
The  grocery  journals,  for  instance,  are  papers  which  deal  w'ith 
the  conditions  to  be  found  in  the  grocery  business  and 
are  limited  by  the  extent  of  the  business  and  not  by  the 
extent  of  some  of  the  products  thereof.  The  Tea  and  Coffee 
Trade  Journal^,  on  the  other  hand,  although  being  distributed  to 
jobbers  and  retailers  of  teas  and  coffees,  is  also  sent  to  a  line 
of  distributors  who  deal  in  many  other  products  besides  those 
covered  by  this  journal. 

These  trade  journals  are  alike  in  this,  however,  that  they  are 
not  distributed  to  the  consumers  of  a  product  but  rather  to 
those  who  buy  material  to  resell.  This,  of  course,  has  a  tre- 
mendous effect  upon  the  necessity  of  the  journal  from  the 
standpoint  of  advertising  value,  and  the  requirements  which 
it  must  fulfil  in  order  to  arrive  at  maximum  strength. 

There  is  a  possibility  of  the  establishment  of  great  interest 
between  the  trade  journal  and  the  distributor  because  of  the 
information  which  can  be  secured  through  such  trade  journals 
in  connection  with  the  conduct  of  the  business.  Matters  which 
affect  the  business  in  which  any  man  is  engaged  are  apt  to  be 


462  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

of  sufficient  interest  to  make  him  pay  considerable  attention  to 
them.  As  a  consequence  the  trade  journal  is  capable  of  awak- 
ing a  very  vital  mterest  among  its  readers,  such  an  interest  as 
will  establish  those  intimate  relations  in  connection  with  which 
the  highest  advertising  ad\  antage  is  to  be  found.  The  accom- 
plishment of  this,  however,  lies  in  the  following  out  of  a  some- 
what more  difficult  development  than  is  required  of  the  gen- 
eral magazine.  The  subjects  of  which  the  trade  journal  w^ill 
treat  must  be  chosen  from  the  field  in  which  it  works  and  it  is 
consequently  limited  to  some  extent  in  its  editorial  scope. 
Furthermore,  it  is  not  easy  to  find  writers  who  have  the  pa- 
tience and  knowledge  required  to  enter  into  and  investigate 
the  operations  of  such  complicated  matters  as  the  details  of 
the  distributing  business ;  while  very  few  of  the  men  engaged 
in  such  businesses  have  acquired  the  art  of  writing  or  expres- 
sion to  such  an  extent  as  to  enable  them  to  give  out  the  things 
which  they  have  found  of  advantage. 

Nevertheless,  some  means  must  be  found  by  the  trade  jour- 
nals of  getting  together  the  best  information  in  connection 
with  the  operation  of  the  business  and  of  presenting  it  in  such 
shape  that  the  reader  will  understand  and  appreciate  its  value 
and  importance.  The  trade  journal  is  intended  for  his  in- 
formation and  there  is  no  incentive  for  him  to  spend  time 
with  it  unless  it  contains  such  information.  The  value  of  a 
trade  journal  can  be  almost  exactly  determined  by  an  investi- 
gation as  to  the  standing  of  its  editorial  w'ork  from  the  stand- 
point of  authority,  progressiveness,  and  accuracy.  This  re- 
lates equally,  of  course,  to  the  dissemination  of  news  in  con- 
nection with  the  industry  as  well  as  the  discussion  of  con- 
troversial points  or  eliminntion  of  difficulties. 

Trade  journals  vary  greatly  in  value.  Some  have  little  ex- 
cuse for  existence  except  the  complaisance  of  the  advertiser. 
They  are  frequently  without  any  authority,  have  insignificant 
circulation  and  make  no  attempt  to  supply  the  industry  with 


MAGAZINES  AND  TRADE  JOURNALS  463 

important  information.  The  best  of  the  trade  journals,  how- 
ever, in  most  fields  have  developed  editorial  staffs  capable  of 
entering  into  the  questions  which  are  involved  in  the  progress 
of  the  industry  and  capable  of  writing  such  investigations  so 
that  they  are  thoroughly  interesting  and  informmg.  They 
have  equipped  stations  for  gathering  news  and  are  undoubtedly 
responsible  to  a  large  extent  for  the  progress  made  in  their 
respective  industries  due  to  the  dissemination  of  information 
of  all  kinds  among  the  various  practitioners.  Such  trade 
journals  are  naturally  of  great  advertising  value  because  they 
have  automatically  selected  the  audience  in  any  particular  field 
so  that  they  represent  the  best  combined  intelligence  in  that 
field  and  the  most  influential  business  men  connected  with  it. 
Such  trade  journals  can  hardly  be  neglected  in  any  well  bal- 
anced campaign,  representing  as  they  do  the  nearest  approach 
to  maximum  efficiency  which  can  be  found  in  the  advertising 
field. 

Technical  Journals 

The  functions  of  the  technical  journals  are  somewhat  differ- 
ent from  the  functions  of  the  trade  journals  in  that  the  tech- 
nical journal  reaches  the  consumer  in  a  particular  industry  or 
line  of  human  endeavor,  approaching  him  by  reason  of  infor- 
mation in  regard  to  the  technique  of  his  operations.  It  will 
be  seen  at  once  that  the  objects  of  the  technical  journals, 
therefore,  vary  considerably  from  the  objects  of  the  trade  jour- 
nals and  the  advertising  value  is  based  upon  slightly  different 
considerations.  Market  news,  prices,  and  movements  of  staple 
commodities,  and  items  of  that  kind  which  (where  reliable) 
may  form  the  most  important  part  of  a  trade  journal's  edi- 
torial matter,  have  little  place  in  the  technical  journal,  except  in 
one  or  two  special  cases. 

The  Iron  Age  has  been  quoted  as  an  authority  by  all  general 
media  in  connection  with  the  progress  of  the  iron  and  steel 


464  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

industry,  and  its  figures,  its  reports  and  considerations  of  the 
market,  etc.,  are  accepted  without  question.  This  paper,  how- 
ever, holds  the  unique  position  of  the  technical  journal  which 
has  through  the  course  of  time,  by  reason  of  its  editorial  effi- 
ciency and  scope,  automatically  extended  its  authority  over  the 
trade  as  well  as  the  technique  of  an  industry.  It  has  become, 
in  fact,  an  institution  rather  than  a  mere  technical  or  trade 
paper.  This,  however,  is  the  exception.  There  are  indeed 
very  few  industries  which  combine  the  technical  and  trade 
features  in  the  same  way  that  the  iron  and  steel  industry  does 
and  there  is  a  possibility  in  very  few  cases  for  the  technical 
journal  to  assume  the  functions  of  a  trade  journal. 

The  questions  of  thoroughly  controversial  nature  as  to  prac- 
tice, and  discussion  as  to  materials,  etc.,  naturally  occupy  much 
more  editorial  space  in  the  technical  journals  than  they  can  be 
expected  to  occupy  in  the  trade  paper.  The  technical  papers 
of  manufacturing  must  of  necessity  dissect  such  operations, 
gather  from  the  industry  as  a  whole  the  most  efficient  methods 
adopted,  and  discuss  these  as  well  as  the  principles  and  theories 
which  lie  behind  them.  The  editing  of  a  technical  journal  in 
such  a  way  that  it  will  be  of  the  highest  advertising  value  is 
obviously  a  matter  of  considerable  difficulty  and  requires  the 
highest  type  of  editorial  capacity. 

The  technical  journal  is  similar  to  the  trade  journal  in  that 
it  automatically  segregates  the  audience,  confining  it  within 
certain  limits  either  in  a  particular  industry  or  in  connection 
with  a  specified  occupation.  Aufoniobilc.  Horseless  Age,  and 
other  motor  papers  are  examples  of  technical  journals  relating 
to  an  industry.  Pozcer,  Practical  Engineer,  American  Machin- 
ist, etc.,  are  examples  of  technical  papers  devoted  to  a  specified 
occupation,  which  may  enter  into  a  great  many  industries  and 
cover  a  great  many  different  problems. 

The  value  of  either  method  of  conducting  the  technical 
journal  from  the  standpoint  of  an  advertising  medium  depends 


MAGAZINES  AND  TRADE  JOURNALS  465 

almost  entirely  upon  the  industry  which  is  to  be  advertised. 
In  most  large  manufactures  the  products  which  enter  into  the 
equipment  of  manufacture,  etc.,  are  classified  according  to  spec- 
ified occupations  rather  than  the  industries  for  which  they 
are  used,  so  that  there  is  large  scope  for  technical  papers  which 
follow  the  lines  of  specified  occupations.  In  some  industries 
the  equipment  is  almost  altogether  specified  by  the  industry 
itself,  and  in  this  case,  of  course,  the  technical  paper  must  fol- 
low the  lines  of  industry  rather  than  occupational  lines. 

The  present  strength  of  the  technical  journal  lies  in  the  de- 
velopment of  its  editorial  staff  so  that  they  understand  the 
problems,  the  needs  and  the  circumstances  of  the  occupations 
or  industries  to  which  they  cater,  and  are  able  to  develop  a 
really  authoritative  standpoint.  There  are,  of  course,  in  the 
technical  field  a  great  many  journals  which  are  of  no  partic- 
ular value  from  the  standpoint  of  authority  or  editorial  infor- 
mation. These  exist  largely  because  of  the  lack  of  investiga- 
tion by  the  advertiser  and  because  in  these  days  of  multifarious 
writings  it  is  possible  to  assemble  a  superficially  attractive 
paper  with  the  proper  array  of  clippings.  Such  journals  have 
no  place  in  any  advertising  scheme.  The  more  important  tech- 
nical journals,  however,  have  sufiiciently  demonstrated  their 
value  in  respect  to  the  particular  fields  which  they  cover  to 
make  their  selection  largely  a  matter  of  adjustment  to  the  par- 
ticular campaign  or  marketing  plan  which  is  under  considera- 
tion. 

Copy  Service 

In  the  course  of  the  development  of  the  technical  journal 
and  its  sale  of  advertising,  where  that  commodity  represented 
a  value  almost  impossible  to  determine  and  where  the  advertiser 
was  inclined  to  look  upon  it  as  an  unavoidable  evil,  it  became 
necessary  to  investigate  the  reasons  for  the  success  or  failure 
of  different  advertising  accounts.     In  those  days  90  per  cent 


466  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

of  the  advertisers  in  technical  journals  were  content  with  a 
standing  advertisement  which  expressed  without  change  of 
copy  or  layout,  about  what  was  to  be  found  on  the  visiting  card 
of  the  concern  in  question.  From  time  to  time  the  technical 
journals  themselves  induced  the  advertiser  to  change  this  card 
and  to  put  in  copy  which  was  changed  from  issue  to  issue.  In 
some  cases  this  development  was  followed  up,  copy-writers 
were  engaged,  investigations  were  made  into  the  field  of  the 
paper,  the  audience  was  dissected  as  much  as  possible  and  a 
free  service  to  advertisers,  intended  to  increase  the  value  of 
their  advertising,  was  started  in  connection  with  some  of  the 
more  advanced  publications.  Inasmuch  as  most  of  the  tech- 
nical journals  steadily  refused  to  pay  commission  to  the  ad- 
vertising agent,  contending  that  they  had  to  secure  the  business 
themselves,  it  was  necessary  in  some  cases  to  put  in  service  in 
order  to  offset  the  services  advanced  by  the  advertising  agent 
for  general  media.  Some  of  these  copy  service  departments 
have  been  notably  successful,  while  others  have  proved  to  be  of 
little  importance.  The  value  of  the  service  seems  to  depend 
almost  entirely  upon  the  extent  to  which  the  audience  has  been 
considered  and  dissected  and  consequently  the  extent  to  which 
it  IS  understood  by  the  copy  service  department  so  that  they 
can  be  sure  of  getting  the  viewpoint  which  w^ill  interest  the 
audience. 

Special  Service 

Special  service  in  connection  with  requirements  or  possibili- 
ties in  the  development  of  business  along  the  ])articular  indus- 
try or  occupation  in  question,  has  ])een  used  by  some  of  the 
more  important  and  progressive  journals  and  in  some  cases 
the  investigations  have  been  carried  out  with  the  advertisers 
so  that  the  advertiser  can  secure  maximum  value  from  his 
advertising.  Up  to  the  present  this  service  has  not  assumed 
any  important  place  in  connection  with  the  technical  journal 


MAGAZINES  AND  TRADE  JOURNALS  467 

work,  but  the  general  trend  of  advertising  and  the  effort  which 
is  being  made  to  investigate  the  conditions  of  a  business  much 
more  closely  before  entering  into  and  conducting  a  campaign, 
will  undoubtedly  make  developments  along  this  line  of  the 
utmost  importance,  and  bring  into  greater  prominence  special 
service  in  the  investigation  of  these  different  fields.  The  posi- 
tion of  the  publisher  is  such  that  it  is  easy  for  him  to  get  in 
touch  with  many  conditions  in  an  industry  or  occupation  which 
may  be  difficult  for  the  manufacturer  to  determine,  and  it  is 
rather  surprising  that  up  to  the  present  he  has  developed  this 
possibility  to  so  slight  an  extent. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

OUTDOOR  AND  OTHER  FORMS  OF  ADVERTISING 

Historical 

The  earliest  method  of  advertising  was  the  sign.  Excava- 
tions made  in  various  parts  of  the  world  bringing  to  light  the 
conditions  of  life  in  the  earlier  civilizations,  have  shown  that  it 
has  been  customary  in  all  ages,  wherever  any  degree  of  civiliza- 
tion has  been  attained,  to  designate  by  a  symbol  either  the  occu- 
pations or  the  products  made  in  a  certain  place  or  by  a  certain 
individual. 

Advertising  by  signs  was,  of  course,  carried  very  much 
further  in  the  time  of  the  Romans,  and  notices  of  games  in 
the  arena,  of  gladiatorial  and  other  spectacles  and  of  events  of 
all  kinds  were  added  to  the  signs  which  denoted  the  character 
of  the  stores.  These  earlier  symbols  developed  on  the  one 
side  into  the  outdoor  advertising,  and  on  the  other  side  into  the 
trade-mark  protection  for  goods. 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  cheap  paper  and 
also  until  the  general  increase  in  the  art  of  printing,  there 
was  little  use  in  attempting  to  extend  the  sign  on  account  of 
the  fact  that  so  small  a  percentage  of  the  population  could 
read  or  write.  As  education  spread  and  more  of  the  popula- 
tion became  versed  in  reading  and  writing,  the  use  of  signs  to 
announce  all  kinds  of  sales,  all  kinds  of  events,  to  give  notice 
of  IcG^al  action,  governmental  proceedings,  etc.,  extended  very 
rapidly,  until  today  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  methods  of 
advertising. 

468 


OUTDOOR  AND  OTHER  ADVERTISING  469 

Influence  of  Signs 

The  sign  has  been  associated  for  years  and  even  centuries 
with  two  definite  functions  which  have  determined  its  value  to 
a  large  extent  in  the  past  and  which  influence  its  present  vaUie. 

The  sign  has  always  shown  either  where  a  thing  could  be 
secured  or  at  what  time  it  must  be  secured,  or  both.  It  has, 
therefore,  been  conspicuous  all  through  its  history  because  of 
its  determination  of  the  place  and  its  suggestion  as  to  time. 
Until  it  was  so  generally  taken  up  by  advertisers  it  was  prin- 
cipally used  over  the  doors  where  various  products  were  kept 
or  to  notify  the  public  that  certain  things  would  happen  at  a 
given  time  and  place.  Services  of  a  religious  character,  an- 
nouncementSj  political  meetings,  educational  gatherings,  all 
kinds  of  matters  of  general  interest  were  made  known  to  the 
public  by  reason  of  outdoor  advertising  in  the  form  of  bills 
posted  on  the  walls  or  convenient  places.  Even  now  a  large 
part  of  the  outdoor  advertising  in  any  city  is  devoted  to  the 
dissemination  of  news  in  regard  to  matters  which  must  be 
taken  advantage  of  within  a  certain  time  and  place,  in  order 
to  be  secured  at  all. 

While,  of  course,  the  general  use  of  the  poster  has  to  some 
extent  destroyed  the  suggestion  which  arose  with  its  entire 
association  with  such  matters,  nevertheless  this  association  of 
ideas  is  still  active  to  a  sufficient  extent  to  determine  the  value 
of  the  poster  as  an  advertising  medium.  By  the  very  condi- 
tions of  its  use  it  is  manifestly  out  of  the  question  as  an  educa- 
tional proposition.  The  necessity  for  telling  the  story  at  a 
glance  so  that  literally  "  he  who  runs  may  read  "  precludes  any 
argument  or  reasoning  which  forms  the  basis  of  educational 
endeavor. 

The  sign  in  fact  must  arrest  attention  by  the  simplicity  and 
broadness  of  its  design  and  character,  drawing  attention  to  the 
products  of  the  store  so  that  it  will  not  only  arrest  attention  but 
also  suggest  the  necessity  for  immediate  action.     It  has  been  so 


Indoor  display- 
4/0 


store 


471 


472 


OUTDOOR  AND  OTHER  ADVERTISING       473 

constantly  used  to  reiterate  the  fact  that  something  will  be  done 
at  a  certain  time  and  place,  that  a  subconscious  spur  to  action  is 
almost  imperative.  These  functions  of  the  outdoor  advertis- 
ing make  it  of  great  importance  for  intensive  stimulation  of  the 
sale  of  products  of  general  consumption.  Where  considerable 
educative  effort  has  been  spent  upon  a  territory  or  a  commod- 
ity with  apparently  little  result,  some  well  calculated  outdoor 
advertising  by  its  subconscious  insistence  upon  action  has 
drawn  this  educative  effort  into  actual  sales.  It  is,  of  course, 
impossible  for  this  method  of  advertising  to  change  a  buying 
habit  until  some  educative  effort  has  been  made  so  that  much 
knowledge  of  the  product  has  already  been  gained.  It  is,  in 
fact,  in  respect  to  advertising  akin  to  the  salesman's  closing 
talk,  calculated  to  bring  to  a  head  the  work  which  has  been 
progressing  favorably  but  without  action  theretofore.  This 
does  not  mean  that  action  cannot  be  secured  by  the  other 
media  of  advertising.  It  does  mean,  however,  that  the  whole 
history  and  development  of  the  sign  and  of  outdoor  adver- 
tising has  had  a  tendency  to  associate  it  with  the  necessity  for 
action  in  such  a  way  that  it  presents  a  logical  medium  for  the 
final  development  of  intensive  stimulation. 

Values 

In  the  great  development  in  the  outdoor  advertising  field, 
the  business  has  divided  itself  into  four  distinct  branches,  each 
branch  being  subject  to  different  conditions  and  covered  by 
different  practical  experiences.  They  are  painted  bulletins, 
posters,  electric  signs,  and  enameled  or  lithographed  signs. 

Painted  bulletins  are  made  of  boards,  metal-faced  as  a  rule, 
placed  alongside  the  streets  or  roads,  along  the  tracks  of  rail- 
roads, on  the  roofs  of  buildings,  and  other  convenient  and  de- 
sirable locations.  They  range  from  12  to  48  feet  long,  gen- 
eral sizes,  though  special  boards  are  built  as  long  as  75  feet 
for  lease,  while  they  are  built  in  all  sizes  for  the  individual 


Painted  Sign 
Illuminated  for  city  use 
47-4 


I         "> 


u 


475 


476 


OUTDOOR  AND  OTHER  ADVERTISING  477 

ownership  of  a  single  advertiser.  The  location  for  most  of 
these  signs  is  leased  by  companies  who  undertake  to  erect  the 
boards,  paint  them  with  the  advertiser's  design,  maintain  them 
and  keep  them  in  proper  condition.  For  most  of  the  boards 
alongside  railroads  and  roads  the  charge  is  made  per  square 
foot  of  space,  but  in  cities  for  special  locations  and  other  points 
of  particular  advantage,  a  special  charge  is  made  for  the  pre- 
ferred position. 

On  account  of  the  conditions  required  by  the  character  of  the 
signs,  it  is  usual  to  make  contracts  for  a  period  of  a  year  or 
more  to  include  repainting  within  six  months  or  one  year.  It 
is  not  possible,  with  this  method  of  advertising  —  without 
special  arrangements  —  to  secure  a  change  of  copy  more  fre- 
quently than  yearly,  or  at  each  painting,  although  special  ar- 
rangements have  been  made  at  times  for  this  purpose.  In 
many  places  the  signs  have  been  arranged  in  the  best  form  by 
building  panels,  concealing  supports,  and  effecting  decorative 
framework  to  eliminate  the  objections  which  have  been  ad- 
vanced at  times  against  the  unsightly  appearance  of  advertising 
boards  alongside  city  streets. 

In  the  buying  of  painted  bulletin  advertising,  it  is  possible  to 
buy  either  by  particular  location  or  by  asking  for  a  showing  in 
particular  localities  —  or  along  certain  railroads  or  highways. 
Inasmuch  as  most  of  this  advertising  grew  up  through  local 
requirements,  it  became  necessary  for  the  local  concerns  to 
form  an  association  through  which  it  is  possible  for  the  larger 
advertiser  to  use  this  form  of  advertising  all  through  the  coun- 
try, without  being  obliged  to  deal  with  a  large  number  of  local 
establishments,  and  in  order  to  secure  the  co-ordination  which 
should  be  secured  in  such  a  campaign.  The  value  of  this 
form  of  advertising  varies  very  considerably  with  the  character 
of  the  products  to  be  advertised.  It  is  not  possible  to  deter- 
mine its  value  per  se,  without  an  examination  of  merchandis- 
ing, and  the  way  in  which  the  product  is  used. 


478  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

The  function  of  the  painted  bulletin  is  to  act  as  a  constant 
reminder,  easily  read  and  easily  seen,  of  the  fact  that  a  product 
is  on  the  market  and  with  some  suggestion  of  its  quality,  in- 
duced by  the  character  of  the  design  and  the  wording.  From 
the  fact  that  copy  can  be  changed  very  infrequently,  it  is  of 
course  not  reasonable  to  expect  that  form  of  advertising  to  be 
of  any  educational  value,  and  it  therefore  serves  its  purpose 
when  it  is  used  for  the  general  publicity  of  the  matter,  and  for 
the  establishment  of  identification  in  connection  with  other 
public  efforts. 

In  connection  with  some  necessities  for  which  painted  bulle- 
tins are  used,  the  value  of  the  location  is  greater  than  the  num- 
ber of  boards.  In  other  cases  the  number  of  boards  secured 
may  be  greater  than  the  value  of  single  locations.  For  in- 
stance in  the  automobile  business,  in  covering  touring  roads  in 
various  sections  of  the  country,  boards  which  are  head  on  to 
the  road  and  are  in  such  a  position  that  they  are  directly  in  the 
field  of  vision  of  the  driver,  have  been  found  to  possess  a  great 
advantage  in  advertising  value.  Such  boards  are  therefore  to 
be  sought  in  cases  of  this  kind,  rather  than  merely  a  number  of 
boards  on  a  particular  road. 

The  question  of  design  is  very  important  in  connection  with 
painted  bulletins.  Because  of  the  difficulties  in  connection  with 
hand-painting,  the  design  should  be  as  simple  as  possible,  suit- 
able for  quick  identification  at  a  considerable  distance,  without 
any  small  wording,  and  developed  along  such  broad  lines  both 
as  to  style  and  number  of  colors  that  the  effect  of  the  design 
and  wording  will  impress  itself  on  the  mind,  with  little  or  no 
effort.  The  extensive  use  of  painted  bulletins  for  all  kinds  of 
business  illustrates  their  value  under  given  conditions,  when 
they  are  advantageously  situated,  and  in  connection  with  a 
definite  kind  of  product.  They  are.  of  course,  valuable  in 
proportion  as  the  product  can  be  used  by  the  general  public 
who  pass  along  the  highways  or  the  railroads.     Their  value 


479 


Head-on  sign  —  automobile  road 
480 


OUTDOOR  AND  OTHER  ADVERTISING       481 

decreases  according  as  the  number  of  people  who  could  use 
them  decreases  in  proportion  to  the  total  population. 

In  the  buying  of  outdoor  advertising,  however,  so  many 
factors  enter  into  the  question  of  price,  and  so  many  items 
influence  the  question  of  value  that  it  is  not  possible  to  buy 
such  advertising  with  the  accurate  knowledge  of  what  is  being 
bought,  as  is  the  case  with  some  other  advertising  equipment. 
In  the  first  place,  the  number  of  people  who  can  see  the  sign  is 
a  matter  of  conjecture,  except  in  a  few  special  cases  where  they 
are  so  placed  as  to  govern  thoroughfares,  in  which  event  the 
number  can  be  averaged.  The  number  of  people  who  will  see 
the  ordinary  outdoor  sign  or  poster,  however,  is  a  matter  of 
guesswork  and  the  exact  influence  of  the  sign  can  never  be 
determined. 

In  the  second  place,  the  surroundings  of  the  sign,  whether  it 
is  in  the  middle  of  other  signs,  whether  it  is  at  a  height  or 
close  to  the  ground,  whether  it  is  in  a  narrow  or  wide  thor- 
oughfare, the  speed  of  the  traffic  past  it,  all  have  a  bearing 
upon  the  advertising  value  which  is  none  the  less  important 
because  it  has  not  been  thoroughly  recognized.  It  has  been 
customary,  particularly  in  the  use  of  outdoor  advertising,  to 
accomplish  by  volume  rather  than  by  selection.  In  the  old 
days  when  it  was  intended  to  advertise  a  sale,  to  give  notice 
of  action  in  the  courts,  or  to  advertise  coming  amusements,  it 
was  customary  to  place  the  bills  anywhere  and  everywhere  in 
the  hope  that  volume  would  accomplish  the  necessary  regis- 
tration and  provide  insistence  upon  action  which  alone  would 
give  the  required  result.  The  competition  for  signs,  the  neces- 
sity for  leasing  ground  or  space  for  them,  and  the  general  ten- 
dency for  restrictions  to  be  imposed  upon  them  in  most  com- 
munities have  somewhat  limited  the  number  which  can  be  used  ; 
although  even  now  it  is  customary  to  consider  bill-boards  or 
printed  signs  from  the  standpoint  of  volume  rather  than  selec- 
tion.    The  number  of  factors  which  enter  into  the  value  of  a 


482 


483 


484  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

particular  sign  or  poster  have  not  been  determined,  except  the 
certainty  that  results  can  be  obtained  by  posting  bills  and  by 
putting  up  printed  signs.  It  is  questionable  whether  any  ad- 
vertisers, save  those  who  because  of  the  character  of  their  serv- 
ice use  that  method  alone,  can  determine  the  actual  results 
secured  from  the  accumulation  of  signs  and  posters  in  a  given 
territory. 

If  the  knowledge  of  results,  or  operation  of  any  particular 
equipment  was  of  such  an  indefinite  and  general  character  in 
connection  with  any  other  part  of  the  business  except  the  ad- 
vertising or  merchandising  end,  there  would  be  very  little  pos- 
sibility of  the  method  being  continued  unless  further  evidence 
could  be  secured. 

Bill-Posters'  Association 

So  long  as  the  use  of  posters  was  to  be  secured  only  through 
local  individuals  who  controlled  the  general  spaces  devoted  to 
such  purposes,  it  was  a  very  difficult  matter  properly  to  arrange 
for  advertising  by  this  medium  in  many  localities.  As  the  pos- 
sibilities of  national  advertising  or  general  advertising  grew 
and  the  use  of  posters  in  this  connection  became  of  more  and 
more  importance,  the  difficulty  of  dealing  with  several  thou- 
sand different  people  in  the  handling  of  such  poster  campaigns 
became  more  and  more  apparent,  and  it  was  evident  that  some 
other  scheme  was  necessary.  The  consideration  of  this  matter 
finally  led  to  the  gathering  together  of  all  the  local  bill-posting 
firms  into  an  association  of  bill-posters,  with  agreements  cov- 
ering the  general  use  of  posters  in  such  a  way  that  a  general 
advertiser  can  now  make  arrangements  with  one  representa- 
tive of  the  bill-posters'  association  to  handle  all  the  posting 
which  he  expects  to  do  over  the  entire  country.  The  condi- 
tions governing  posting  service  have  improved  very  rapidly 
since  this  association  was  formed,  as  the  field  has  been  stand- 
ardized to  a  great  extent  and  it  impossible  to  get  showings  in  the 


48s 


486 


OUTDOOR  AND  OTHER  ADVERTISING  487 

different  localities  which  more  nearly  represent  a  standard  cam- 
paign. 

Of  late  years  in  this  country  an  increasing  agitation  has  been 
working  against  the  unrestricted  or  practically  unrestricted 
use  of  bill-boards,  on  account  of  disfigurements  of  the  land- 
scape, and  their  alleged  nuisance  and  sometimes  damage  in 
cities.  There  seems  to  be  a  slightly  growing  opinion  on  the 
part  of  a  small  section  of  the  population  against  this  use  of 
signs  and  bill-boards  without  any  restrictions  whatsoever  upon 
their  size,  upon  the  number  or  upon  the  character,  i^rom  time 
to  time  ordinances  have  been  introduced  in  various  civic  bodies 
designed  to  regulate  this  part  of  advertising  and  there  is  little 
doubt  that  at  some  time  or  other  the  use  of  bill-boards  or  out- 
door signs  will  be  subject  to  strict  regulation  as  to  size  and 
location. 

In  some  of  the  European  countries  the  limitation  of  posters 
in  cities  has  been  carried  out  to  a  considerable  extent,  so  that  all 
posters  are  of  uniform  size,  practically  the  size  of  a  one-sheet 
poster,  and  the  spaces  reserved  for  them  are  comparatively  few 
and  carefully  designated.  These  regulations  have  had  one 
effect  which  has  been  of  more  advantage  than  any  other,  and 
that  is,  the  necessity  of  accomplishing  by  artistic  work  what 
has  heretofore  been  accomplished  in  this  country  largely  by 
size  of  poster.  The  uniformity  of  size  naturally  made  it  im- 
possible for  the  artist  to  secure  any  advantage  in  that  direction 
and  only  the  study  of  the  poster  by  competent  artists  made  it 
possible  for  the  advertising  value  to  be  secured  therefrom 
In  all  the  European  countries,  but  particularly  in  France  and 
England,  the  poster  artist  is  an  artist  of  established  reputation 
who  has  made  a  study  of  poster  work  just  as  another  artist  has 
studied  mural  decoration  or  portrait  work.  As  a  consequence 
the  European  posters  are  a  delight  to  the  eye  and  as  interest- 
ing from  an  artistic  standpoint  as  they  are  apparently  effective 
from  an  advertising  one. 


483  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Posters 

This  term  applies  to  all  papers  used  for  pasting  upon  boards 
wherever  and  in  whatsoever  size  they  may  be  used.  It  has, 
however,  in  the  growth  of  the  advertising  business,  become 
generally  accepted,  as  referring  to  the  twenty-iour  sheet  post- 
ers adopted  as  standard  by  the  poster  advertising  interests  and 
maintained  by  concerns  of  this  kind  all  over  the  country. 
Poster  locations  regularly  built  and  maintained  by  bill-posting 
companies  are  to  be  found  in  all  cities  and  towns  of  any  import- 
ance, and  are  so  arranged  as  to  give  a  possibility  of  fairly 
complete  general  appeal  to  a  section  of  the  country  or  na- 
tionally. 

Poster  advertising  is  much  more  flexible  than  any  other  form 
of  outdoor  advertising.  It  permits  of  a  monthly  change  of 
copy,  short  and  long  campaigns,  and  can  be  carried  out  either 
sectionally  or  nationally.  It  is  therefpre  not  a  reminder  or 
identification  form  of  advertising  but  a  stimulant  to  action, 
localizing  the  appeal  and  tying  it  up  with  the  direct  incentive  to 
purchase.  It  is  not  an  educational  form  of  advertising  because 
of  the  conditions  under  which  it  is  used  and  the  impossibility 
of  concentrated  attention.  Used  for  the  functions  which  it 
could  be  expected  to  perform,  however,  it  is  a  valuable  method 
of  publicity  for  the  stimulation  of  interest  in  products  bought 
by  the  general  public  and  used  by  them  intimately.  The  use  of 
this  form  of  advertising  has  developed  very  largely  in  the  past 
ten  or  twelve  years  and  the  understanding  of  its  functions  has 
resulted  in  a  development  of  its  art  as  well  as  its  general  im- 
provement. The  old  circus  style  poster  is  passing  and  the 
new  simple,  attractive,  flat  color  poster  which  has  long  been  in 
use  in  Europe  is  rapidly  replacing  it. 

The  last  few  years  have  seen  a  very  rapid  and  encouraging 
development  of  poster  art  in  this  country  and  some  of  the  work 
which  is  appearing  on  the  bill-boards  today  is  of  a  very  excel- 
lent character.     The  illustrations  shown  will  indicate  how  far 


OUTDOOR  AND  OTHER  ADVERTISING  489 

we  have  traveled  from  the  old  circus  poster  and  the  hope  for 
future  artistic  development,  which  these  advances  indicate. 

Illuminated  Bulletins  and  Posters 

In  connection  with  the  more  careful  erection  of  bill-boards 
and  bulletins,  giving  the  panel  effects,  separation  of  the  adver- 
tising, and  the  concealed  parts  and  general  decorative  designs, 
advantage  has  been  taken  of  the  possibilities  of  illumination  to 
add  to  the  hours  of  daylight  several  of  the  evening  hours  as 
advertising  possibilities.  For  this  purpose  in  many  of  the  cit- 
ies special  bulletin  boards  and  bill-boards  have  been  erected  for 
the  use  of  painted  signs  and  poster  advertisers  with  illumina- 
tion directed  upon  the  boards  so  that  the  design  should  appear 
as  readily  at  night  as  in  the  daytime.  This  has  had  the  effect  of 
taking  advantage  of  the  night  life  of  people  in  the  cities,  so  that 
the  value  of  the  bulletins  or  poster  advertisements  could  be 
increased  by  the  addition  of  the  hours  of  entertainment  to  the 
hours  of  the  daytime.  Inasmuch  as  the  people  of  the  cities 
are  to  a  large  extent  free  from  their  labors  during  the  evening, 
the  value  of  the  illuminated  poster  and  bulletin  is  very  much 
bigger  than  the  value  of  advertising  of  the  same  kind  which 
can  be  seen  only  during  the  period  of  daylight. 

Electric  Signs 

Electric  signs  are  the  most  recent  development  in  outdoor  ad- 
vertising and  by  all  odds  the  most  spectacular.  Broadway, 
New  York,  from  23rd  Street  to  59th  Street  would  be  scarcely 
as  well  lighted  as  the  principal  street  of  many  a  much  smaller 
city  were  it  not  for  the  large  number  of  advertising  electric 
signs  which  make  up  for  the  deficiency.  The  electric  sign 
at  first  merely  spelled  out  in  electric  light  the  name  of  the  article 
or  firm  that  was  being  exploited.  Competition  in  attention, 
however,  created  the  necessity  for  moving  characters  in  such 
signs  until  some  of  the  most  spectacular  are  exceedingly  com- 


490 


491 


492 


OUTDOOR  AND  OTHER  ADVERTISING       493 

plicated  in  design  and  furnish  an  enormous  number  of  move- 
ments. The  movements  are,  of  course,  secured  by  succeedmg 
contacts  produced  by  a  revolving  "  Flasher,"  as  it  is  termed,  so 
that  different  bulbs  or  sections  light  up  at  different  periods. 
This  demand  for  spectacular  movement  reached  such  a  stage 
that  co-operative  signs  have  been  built  employing  complicated 
designs  and  scenery  with  the  different  advertisers  appearing 
above.  The  sign  called  the  "  Leaders  of  the  World "  was 
probably  the  most  prominent  of  these,  the  spectacular  part  of 
the  sign  showing  a  chariot  race  and  a  panel  above  giving  the 
names  of  the  different  advertisers. 

There  are  a  great  many  other  purposes  for  which  outdoor 
advertising  is  used  besides  those  noted  in  the  previous  head- 
ings. These  purposes  are  not  organized  under  one  general 
system,  nor  is  it  possible  to  make  any  general  division  of  them. 
For  this  reason  they  are  usually  included  under  some  other 
heading,  such  as  "  Manufacturer's  Aid  to  Dealers,"  "  Window 
Display,"  and  similar  propositions.  They  are  merely  men- 
tioned in  this  connection  in  order  that  the  reader  may  note  them 
as  actually  a  part  of  the  outdoor  advertising  work. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

DIRECT  MAIL  AND  HOUSE  ORGANS 

Introductory 

What  is  termed  direct  mail  advertising  has  no  technical  spe- 
cialization, strictly  speaking.  It  has  become  a  specialized  oc- 
cupation because  of  the  volume  and  diversity  of  the  work 
rather  than  because  of  functioning  through  a  series  of  special 
factors.  A  great  deal  of  the  material,  therefore,  which  will 
be  required  for  a  study  of  this  method  of  advertising"  is  con- 
tained in  the  chapters  devoted  to  the  human  interest,  the  con- 
struction of  copy,  and  the  elements  of  advertising  display.  All 
the  present  chapter  attempts  to  do  is  to  outline  some  of  the 
developments  and  practice  which  have  come  from  the  wide  use 
of  this  general  division  of  advertising  work. 

Functions  of  Direct  Mail  Advertising 

Furthermore,  the  functions  of  direct  mail  advertising  vary 
in  accordance  with  the  character  of  the  material  employed. 
The  function  of  a  sales  letter  is  entirely  different  from  the 
function  of  a  mailing  card,  while  this  varies  in  turn  from  the 
booklet  and  the  circular.  The  functions  of  none  of  these  in 
any  way  agree  with  those  of  tlie  house  organ.  They  perform 
different  sections  of  the  work  and  they  are  useful  for  different 
reasons. 

The  sales  letter  is  a  personal  communication  growing  out  of 
the  correspondence  method  of  conducting  business.  While  the 
use  of  certain  mechanical  dc\iccs  makes  it  unnecessary  to  write 
each  communication  separately,  the  function  of  the  letter  re- 

494 


DIRECT  MAIL  AND  HOUSE  ORGANS  495 

mains  personal ;  the  point  under  discussion  is  treated  not  as  a 
public  matter,  but  as  a  private  matter  between  two  individuals 
or  two  concerns.  The  letter  is  efficient  according  as  it  ex- 
presses this  personal  quality. 

A  great  deal  of  discussion  has  gone  on  in  advertising  circles 
regarding  the  relative  efficiency  of  printed  matter  and  letters. 
There  has  also  been  a  great  deal  of  controversy  over  the  ques- 
tion of  the  advantage  gained  by  filling  in  letters,  by  giving  them 
a  pen  signature,  and  by  the  degree  with  which,  in  physical 
appearance,  they  resemble  an  individual  typewritten  letter. 
These  controversies  indicate  that  we  have  been  misled  into  con- 
fusing the  physical  appearance  of  a  piece  of  advertising  mat- 
ter w^ith  its  functions.  The  fact  that  a  piece  of  advertising 
copy  is  wTitten  on  a  letter-head  and  addressed  does  not  make  it 
a  letter ;  neither  does  the  fact  that  it  is  printed  make  it  any  the 
less  a  letter  if  it  is  fundamentally  performing  that  function. 

A  communication  of  President  Wilson  addressed  to  the 
American  citizens  is  still  a  personal  communication  to  each 
and  every  citizen  although  it  would  naturally  be  printed  and 
very  few  of  the  citizens  would  receive  it  as  an  original  docu- 
ment. On  the  other  hand,  the  proclamation  of  the  Govern- 
ment that  a  certain  day  is  to  be  observed  as  a  legal  holiday,  no 
matter  in  what  form  it  is  printed,  would  exercise  none  of  the 
functions  of  a  letter. 

Whether  it  is  written  to  one  or  to  many  people,  the  letter 
must  relate  to  the  personal  and  individual  problems  of  the  man 
or  organization  to  whom  it  is  addressed.  If  it  does  not  do 
this  it  is  not  a  personal  communication  and  the  matter  it  covers 
might  be  presented  better  in  some  other  form. 

Similarly,  there  has  been  a  good  deal  of  questioning  about 
the  value  of  long  and  short  letters ;  aljout  the  right  w'ay  to 
approach  a  subject.  The  best  answer  which  is  to  be  found  to 
these  questions  is  the  one  suggesting  that  the  writer  of  the 
letter  have  in  mind  some  particular,  individual  customer  when 


496  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

the  letter  is  written.  This  statement  really  expresses  the  whole 
theory  of  circular  letters.  If  it  is  impossible  to  write  upon  the 
subject  with  the  visualization  of  a  particular  customer  in  mind, 
then  the  subject  is  not  one  which  should  be  treated  by  this  form 
of  advertising. 

All  matters  other  than  personal  communications,  all  matters 
relating  to  subjects  which  are  not  the  individual  problem  of  the 
individual  organization,  but  represent  only  the  general  problem 
of  the  industry,  trade,  or  user,  should  be  considered  proper 
subjects  for  forms  of  advertising  which  agree  more  directly 
with  the  public  announcement.  All  forms  of  printed  matter 
come  under  this  head.  Printing  itself  gives  an  element  of  gen- 
erality and  an  effect  of  publicity  w^hich  cannot  be  secured  in 
any  other  way.  It  performs  its  best  function  when  it  is  used 
for  those  elements  of  advertising  which  are  common  to  all  indi- 
viduals or  organizations  in  a  particular  section  or  industry  or 
to  the  whole  country. 

Form  and  Typography  of  Printed  Matter 

About  the  various  forms  of  printed  matter  there  is  a  good 
deal  to  be  said  as  to  the  effect  of  size,  style,  and  make-up  in 
their  agreement  or  disagreement  with  the  subject  and  purpose 
of  the  advertising.  A  circular  to  be  enclosed  in  an  envelope  is 
associated  with  an  entirely  different  purpose  from  that  of  the 
large  booklet  which  must  be  sent  under  separate  cover,  or  which 
is  of  a  size  that  demands  separate  consideration. 

The  envelope  stuffer,  the  mailing  card,  and  the  circular  which 
can  be  mailed  without  the  envelope,  are  matters  of  current 
interest  only.  They  may  act  as  reminders,  they  may  suggest  a 
new  phase,  they  may  bring  out  something  of  timely  interest, 
and  when  this  has  been  accomplished  their  work  is  fulfilled. 
They  should  not  be  used  for  items  of  reference,  for  general 
information  valuable  at  no  particular  time,  or  for  matters  into 
which  the  elements  of  time  and  place  do  not  enter. 


DIRECT  MAIL  AND  HOUSE  ORGANS  497 

The  size  of  all  forms  of  printed  matter  bears  a  definite  and 
direct  relation  to  the  importance  and  character  of  the  subject. 
The  story  of  a  large  organization,  its  growth,  and  its  history 
should  not  be  confined  within  the  space  of  a  4  x  6  page,  with 
correspondingly  insignificant  type  and  small  illustrations. 
Such  a  story  merits  a  6  x  9  treatment  with  a  type  that  in  itself 
impresses  the  reader  with  size,  character,  and  tradition  and 
with  illustrations  which  in  their  physical  dimensions  suggest 
the  size  and  stability  involved  in  their  subject.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  is  equally  foolish,  for  the  purpose  of  suggesting  a  new 
phase  of  a  matter  which  may  be  only  of  minor  significance,  to 
get  this  up  in  such  a  form  that  the  physical  dimensions  of  the 
printed  matter  would  be  entirely  out  of  proportion  to  the  im- 
portance of  the  subject.  Similarly,  bold  type,  flashy  headlines, 
underscoring  of  phrases,  all  suggest  an  element  of  urgency  and 
should  be  used  with  great  care  and  discretion,  lest  by  the  very 
desire  for  emphasis  the  whole  value  of  the  emphasis  is  lost. 

House  Organs 

One  of  the  most  important  developments  of  printed  matter 
in  connection  with  advertising  has  been  the  development  of 
house  organs  for  all  purposes.  Periodical  media,  letters,  cir- 
culars and  booklets,  and  other  forms  of  advertising  leave  one 
element  of  the  advertising  contact  still  to  be  considered  —  that 
is  the  element  of  continuity.  Each  advertisement  in  a  peri- 
odical, each  letter,  each  circular  or  booklet,  and  each  sign  is 
complete  in  itself.  While  the  efforts  may  be  repeated,  each 
individual  effort  must  carry  its  separate  and  complete  impres- 
sion. The  problems  of  the  manufacturer,  however,  demand 
that  there  be  not  only  a  repetition  of  information  but  a  con- 
tinuity of  interest  and  some  way  had  to  be  found  for  estab- 
lishing and  maintaining  this  continuity. 

This  has  been  answered  to  a  very  large  degree  by  the  use  of 
the  house  organ,  which  is  nothing  more  or  less  than  a  period- 


498  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

ical  published  by  the  manufacturer  or  the  advertiser  in  what- 
ever hne,  for  the  maintenance  of  continuity  of  interest  with 
his  sales  force,  with  all  his  employees,  with  his  distributors,  or 
with  his  consumers.  The  advantage  of  this  periodical  form  of 
advertising  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  permits  of  a  discussion  of 
matters  which  are  of  continued  interest  in  a  much  broader  way 
than  they  can  be  discussed  in  printed  matter  or  in  periodical 
advertising.  It  enables  the  manufacturer  to  utilize  in  his  pro- 
paganda, the  appeal  of  community  of  interest  which  is  usually 
very  much  wider  than  a  particular  product  or  a  particular  serv- 
ice. It  permits  of  a  combination  of  news  features  with  discus- 
sions; so  that  the  interest  of  the  reader  can  be  carried  over 
from  one  issue  to  the  next,  thereby  establishing  a  bond  be- 
tween the  publishers  of  the  house  organ  and  its  readers,  which 
can  be  created  by  no  other  form  of  advertising. 

The  functions  of  the  house  organ  seem  at  first  thought  to 
approach  somewhat  closely  those  of  a  general  business  paper. 
The  tendency,  however,  for  a  house  organ  to  develop  into  a 
paper  of  general  business  information  in  the  particular  field 
with  w^hich  it  is  concerned,  is  a  dangerous  one,  as  it  thereby 
loses  its  efficiency  for  the  firm  on  whose  behalf  it  was  devel- 
oped. It  should  be  remembered  very  clearly  that  no  period- 
ical can  carry  out  the  double  purpose  of  being  a  house  organ 
for  a  manufacturer  and  at  the  same  time  existing  as  a  current 
periodical  of  general  business  information.  The  two  pur- 
poses, while  apparently  alike,  represent  requirements  so  dis- 
tinctly apart  that  they  cannot  be  confused  in  the  operation. 

The  purpose  of  the  house  organ  is  to  use  the  general  interest 
which  obtains  between  a  firm  and  its  patrons  who  read  the 
sheet,  to  exert  an  influence  upon  the  readers  looking  to  the 
strengthening  of  the  firm's  own  position  in  that  particular  field 
of  business  and  the  enlargement  of  its  own  market.  There- 
fore, everything  which  is  done  in  such  a  house  organ  must 
be  considered  frankly  from  this  standpoint,  and  the  strength 


DIRECT  MAIL  AND  HOUSE  ORGANS  499 

of  the  house  organ  will  depend  upon  the  frankness  with  which 
this  attitude  is  maintained.  To  attempt  to  cover  this  propa- 
ganda necessity  by  giving  the  house  organ  the  appearance  and 
character  of  a  general  business  paper,  is  to  weaken  the  propa- 
ganda by  just  that  much  and  to  cast  suspicion  upon  the  general 
information  because  it  does  not  come  from  an  unbiased  source. 
Granted,  however,  that  the  functions  of  the  house  organ  are 
thoroughly  understood,  it  is  a  very  useful  method  of  advertis- 
ing for  various  purposes  and  its  use  may  well  be  considered 
wherever  the  continuity  of  interest  is  difficult  to  maintain 
through  personal  contact. 

House  Organ  for  All  Employees 

Large  corporations,  such  as  those  engaged  in  public  service, 
railroads,  local  transportation  companies,  electric  light  and 
power  companies,  as  well  as  other  large  organizations  employ- 
ing numbers  of  men,  have  found  it  to  their  advantage  to  es- 
tablish some  means  whereby  the  industrial  ideals,  the  policies, 
and  purposes  of  the  organization  and  the  community  of  inter- 
est between  directors,  executives,  and  workers  of  all  kinds  can 
be  kept  constantly  and  forcibly  before  the  whole  organization. 
For  this  purpose  the  house  organ  has  been  of  immense  advan- 
tage and  some  of  the  railroad  house  organs,  those  employed  by 
the  express  companies,  and  the  organs  of  the  large  industrial 
corporations,  have  grown  into  magazines  of  considerable  size 
and  of  intense  interest  to  thousands  of  employees  and  their 
families.  In  fact,  a  chapter  could  well  be  devoted  to  the 
growth  and  development  of  this  class  of  publication  and  the 
effect  which  it  has  had  upon  the  organization's  stability  in 
large  concerns. 

As  these  organs  are  used  more  and  more  for  the  frank  dis- 
cussion of  questions  of  interior  organization  and  policy  and  for 
the  interchange  of  opinions  concerning  organization  outlook 
and  advancement,  they  will  exercise  a  very  great  influence 


500  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Upon  the  labor  question  in  these  large  concerns  and  upon  the 
incentive  to  maximum  production. 

House  Organ  for  Sales  Force 

In  a  great  many  concerns  where  the  necessity  for  some 
means  of  communication  to  the  employees  in  general  has  not 
yet  been  felt,  there  has  grown  up  a  demand  for  some  method  of 
communicating  with  and  maintaining  the  spirit  in  the  sales 
force  which  is  scattered  away  from  the  organization  atmos- 
phere and  subjected  to  a  special  set  of  influences  that  are  con- 
tinually tending  to  undermine  the  enthusiasm  of  the  individual 
salesman  for  his  work  and  for  his  product.  Because  of  the 
fact  that  the  salesman  works  with  very  little  tangible  equip- 
ment and  must  be  constantly  ready  to  meet  the  local  problems 
of  the  prospective  buyer,  he  is  in  need  of  a  constant  revivifica- 
tion of  his  knowledge  and  enthusiasm  with  new  illustrations, 
so  that  he  may  continually  acquire  fresh  viewpoints  in  connec- 
tion with  his  own  requirements.  For  this  purpose  the  house 
organ  for  salesmen,  intelligently  edited,  with  bright  chatty  talk 
about  sales  problems,  with  illustrations  of  the  way  in  which 
work  has  been  done,  with  suggestions  of  new  solutions,  and 
with  comments  upon  successful  operation,  has  been  found 
invaluable.  This  type  of  house  organ  has  found  a  large  place 
in  sales  work.  The  number  regularly  printed  runs  into  the 
hundreds.  This  method  of  keeping  contact  with  the  sales 
force  should  be  watched  by  the  advertising  man.  It  should  be 
introduced  wherever  the  conditions  merit  it,  and  should  be  util- 
ized wherever  possible  for  the  maintenance  of  a  contact  be- 
tween the  advertising  and  the  sales  force,  so  that  this  develop- 
ment may  be  generally  understood  and  appreciated  by  them. 

House  Organ  for  the  Dealers 

As  a  natural  extension  of  these  purposes  and  because  of  the 
direct  interest  which  exists  between  the  manufacturer  and  the 


DIRECT  MAIL  AND  HOUSE  ORGANS  501 

people  who  distribute  his  goods,  it  has  been  found  of  advan- 
tage in  some  cases  to  extend  the  house  organ  idea  and  provide 
the  same  means  for  maintaining  contact  with  the  distributors 
of  a  product.  There  has  grown  up,  therefore,  a  house  organ 
specially  arranged  to  interest  the  dealer  in  a  certain  line  of 
goods  and  to  keep  the  contact  between  this  man  and  the  manu- 
facturer's organization.  In  this  case,  of  course,  the  character 
of  the  house  organ  changes  somewhat.  It  is  no  longer  dealing 
with  policies,  with  interior  conditions,  and  with  those  things 
which  can  very  well  be  the  subject  of  communication  and  dis- 
cussion between  members  of  the  same  organization  but  which 
would  be  entirely  without  interest  to  those  whose  problems  are 
the  problems  of  a  different  character  of  organization.  Some 
of  these  house  organs  have,  however,  done  a  great  deal  of 
work  with  dealers  in  going  into  problems  of  turnover,  cost 
accounting,  keeping  of  stock,  window  display,  and  other 
matters  which  are  directly  concerned  with  the  dealer's 
profits.  All  this  leads  to  a  larger  sale  of  the  manufacturer's 
goods. 

It  is  in  this  class  of  house  organ  that  the  greatest  difficulty 
is  experienced  in  maintaining  its  proper  function  and  not  per- 
mitting it  to  dip  over  into  the  field  of  the  general  business 
paper.  Many  of  the  problems  which  interest  the  manufacturer 
and  his  particular  dealers  in  a  special  way  are  the  same  prob- 
lems which  form  the  subject  of  discussion  between  the  busi- 
ness paper  and  the  dealer  in  a  more  general  and  comprehensive 
way.  It  is  in  this  field,  therefore,  that  some  of  the  most  con- 
spicuous failures  have  been  made  in  house  organ  work,  due 
very  largely  to  a  lack  of  comprehension  as  to  the  particular 
functions  of  a  house  organ  and  the  necessity  for  its  mainte- 
nance along  the  lines  of  these  functions  if  it  is  to  maintain  its 
position  solidly  in  its  field.  There  is  very  special  reason  why 
the  student  of  advertising  should  study  this  form  of  house 
organ  with  considerable  care,  so  that  he  may  not  be  confused 


502  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

as  to  its  real  purposes  and  the  distinct  requirements  of  its 
success. 

In  addition  to  the  house  organs  mentioned,  there  are  occa- 
sional modifications  dealing  with  special  cases  which  do  not 
form  a  sufficient  class  to  be  separately  mentioned.  It  is  prob- 
able that  the  changes  which  are  being  made  in  manufacturing 
and  distributing  conditions  today  will  involve  further  modifica- 
tions, but  these  can  be  easily  determined  and  understood  if  the 
general  principles  have  been  thoroughly  fixed  in  the  student's 
mind. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THE  TRADE-MARK 

Meaning  of  the  Trade-Mark 

The  trade-mark  as  a  symbol  stamped  or  marked  upon  or 
woven  into  the  goods  is  a  very  old  method  of  identifying  the 
products  of  a  craftsman  or  manufacturer.  It  has  been  in  use 
so  long  that  there  has  grown  up  around  it  a  special  branch  of 
technical  law.  It  has  been  the  subject  of  international  conven- 
tions and  the  reason  for  international  discussions.  Laws  have 
been  made  to  govern  the  use  of  trade-marks  and  the  abuses 
which  have  crept  in  are  the  subject  of  a  long  list  of  court  dis- 
cussions. 

Originally  the  trade-mark  was  pictorial.  It  was  intended  to 
signify  the  product  of  a  craftsman,  a  company,  or  a  guild  to 
the  people  who  bought.  Most  of  these  people  were  unable  to 
read  and  write  and  therefore  the  mark  required  the  pictorial 
representation  to  accomplish  its  purpose.  The  older  trade- 
marks, which  can  be  traced,  show  the  use  of  the  place,  the  en- 
vironment, or  the  name  of  the  craftsman  as  the  leading  part 
of  the  design. 

While  the  trade-mark  is  a  very  old  method  of  identification 
and  while  the  law  in  regard  to  it  dates  back  a  long  way,  its 
extended  use.  in  the  modern  sense,  dates  back  to  the  beginning 
of  the  industrial  expansion  and  the  growth  of  international 
trade.  Before  that  time  so  few  of  the  products  required  by 
the  people  of  various  countries  were  distributed  over  any  great 
distance  that  there  was  comparatively  little  use  for  this  means 
of  identification  and  little  or  no  conflict  in  the  similarity  of 

503 


504  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

various  marks.  Most  of  the  products  of  a  community  were 
sold  so  near  the  point  of  manufacture  that  there  was  no  compe- 
tition in  the  modern  sense  of  the  term  and  there  was  usually 
a  personal  contact  between  the  consumer  of  products  and  the 
maker  of  them. 

As  the  products  of  industry  began  to  travel  further  afield  and 
to  pass  through  more  hands  on  their  way  to  their  final  destina- 
tion, trade-marks  came  more  and  more  into  use.  Sometimes 
these  trade-marks  were  applied  by  the  manufacturer  and  some- 
times by  the  merchant,  but  in  all  cases  the  reason  was  the  same 

—  that  the  goods  themselves  might  exhibit  the  particular  indi- 
viduality behind  them  and  so  avoid  confusion  in  the  mind  of 
the  buyer,  who  by  this  means  could  identify  the  ones  he  de- 
sired. The  meaning  of  the  trade-mark  is  the  same  today.  It 
enables  the  user  of  products  to  be  assured  that  he  is  securing 
the  products  made  by  the  concern  he  wishes  to  secure  them 
from  and  not  by  some  other.  It  assures  him  that  he  is  get- 
ting products  of  the  same  manufacture  as  those  which  have 
satisfied  him  in  the  past. 

Necessity  for  Individuality 

Advertising  has  exercised  a  marked  influence  upon  the  value 
of  the  trade-mark  -is  it  has  extended  its  operation  over  a  much 
wider  field.  It  has  also  forced  upon  the  manufacturer  of 
products  which  pass  through  many  hands,  the  adoption  of  this 
means  of  securing  final  identification  of  his  product  by  the 
consumer.  Its  use  has  been  greatly  extended  under  these  con- 
ditions, and  the  difficulties  of  selection  and  protection  greatly 
enhanced,  so  that  it  is  not  easy  to  secure  a  trade-mark  which 
will  fulfil  all  the  requirements.  Indeed  in  some  lines  of  busi- 
ness there  are  a  sufficient  number  of  trade-marks  representing 
so  nearly  the  same  thing  that  the  very  purpose  —  identification 

—  is  lost  and  none  of  the  trade-marks  so  affected  are  of  much 
value  for  their  purpose. 


THE  TRADE-MARK  5^5 

It  is  necessary,  because  of  the  very  purposes  for  which  a 
trade-mark  is  used,  that  it  should  present  an  individual  appear- 
ance, differentiating  it  from  others.  It  is  particularly  import- 
ant that  a  trade-mark  should  be  different  from  the  others  in  its 
field, 

1.  It  should  be  easy  to  pronounce. 

2.  It  should  be  easy  to  identify. 

3.  It  should  be  easy  to  reproduce. 

4.  It  must  be  capable  of  protection. 

A  trade-mark  which  possesses  all  these  qualifications  can  be- 
come—  through  advertising  —  of  immense  value  to  an  organ- 
ization. There  are  many  examples  that  come  in  this  class. 
Vaseline  —  which  is  a  common  word  in  the  language  both  here 
and  in  Great  Britain  —  is  the  trade-mark  of  the  Cheseborough 
Manufacturing  Company  and  their  exclusive  property.  How 
many  sales  do  they  make  because  of  that  fact?  Kodak  — 
which  is  used  almost  synonymously  with  camera  —  is  the 
trade-mark  of  the  Eastman  Kodak  Company  and  their  exclu- 
sive property.  Gold  Dust  Twins,  Fairy,  and  Ivory  are  other 
examples  of  trade-marks  which  by  advertising  have  been  made 
of  great  value. 

None  of  these  originally  meant  anything.  Vaseline  and 
Kodak  are  coined  words,  with  no  meaning  when  first  intro- 
duced. Gold  Dust,  Fairy,  and  Ivory  are  very  ordinary  pic- 
tures as  illustrated  on  the  packages,  but  very  familiar  and  full 
of  interest  as  developed  in  advertising.  Naturally,  it  is  be- 
coming constantly  more  difficult  to  find  names  which  will  fulfil 
all  these  qualifications  and  the  tendency  to  approximate  some- 
thing already  in  use  becomes  greater  as  the  number  of  trade- 
marks increases.  For  this  reason  greater  care  must  be  exer- 
cised in  the  selection  of  a  trade-mark  today  and  a  more  ex- 
tended examination  must  be  made  into  its  value  and  into  the 
possibility  of  protecting  it. 


506  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

Coined  words  offer  the  best  solution  to  many  of  the  prob- 
lems. Descriptive  names  can  be  protected  only  occasionally 
and  they  are  not  allowed  registration  today.  Even  coined 
words  which  are  pronounced  like  a  description  of  the  product 
such  as  '*  Nomordust  "  are  not  easy  to  protect  from  imitation. 
Coined  words,  however,  if  they  are  not  too  difficult  to  pro- 
nounce, can  be  protected  and  can  be  made  effective  where  they 
are  the  subject  of  proper  advertising  effort. 

From  the  Buyer's  Standpoint 

The  trade-mark  is  fundamentally  a  buyer's  protection.  It 
is  not  considered  at  law  as  a  protection  to  the  manufacturer, 
save  incidentally  and  as  this  is  required  for  the  buyer's  protec- 
tion. The  value  of  the  trade-mark  lies  in  the  ease  with  which  it 
can  be  remembered,  spoken,  and  seen  by  the  buyer  of  the  goods. 
Where  the  buyer  is  confused  by  names  and  colors  which  are 
fairly  similar,  the  value  of  all  such  marks  is  seriously  dimin- 
ished in  his  eyes  and  there  is  a  tendency  to  give  up  the  attempt 
at  identification.  From  the  buyer's  standpoint,  therefore,  the 
trade-marks  in  the  same  line  should  be  as  different  as  possible, 
so  that  they  can  be  distinguished  with  ease.  It  should  not  re- 
quire any  special  knowledge  to  decipher  and  it  should  not  re- 
quire too  close  an  inspection  to  make  the  identification  com- 
plete. 

Trade-Marks  and  Quality 

The  value  of  the  trade-mark  as  a  means  of  identifying  the 
product  of  a  certain  manufacturer  m  stabilizing  his  business 
has  had  a  very  definite  bearing  on  the  quality  of  his  product. 
It  became  obvious  that  a  trade-mark  is  only  of  vaUie  to  a  per- 
manent business  organization  and  that  its  value  in  this  case 
would  depend  upon  the  value  of  the  product.  There  would  be 
no  purpose  in  identifying  the  product,  except  for  the  repeat 
buyer,  the  permanent  customer.     No  customer  is  permanent 


THE  TRADE-MARK  507 

unless  value  is  given.  The  use  of  advertising  made  the  trade- 
mark a  necessity,  and  ihe  necessity  of  the  trade-mark  de- 
manded, in  turn,  a  character  and  uniformity  of  product  fit  to 
secure  permanent  advantage  from  the  added  responsibility. 

The  wide  and  general  use  of  the  trade-mark  has  had  a  dis- 
tinct tendency  to  improve  and  stabilize  manufacturing,  to  keep 
the  character  of  the  product  uniform,  and  to  make  it  depend- 
able. This  effect  has  been  recognized  by  the  buyer  —  although 
perhaps  unconsciously  —  and  the  result  is  to  give  to  the  trade- 
marked  product  a  presumption  of  quality  of  great  value  to  the 
manufacturer. 

Legal  Requirements 

The  trade-mark  law  in  the  United  States,  as  well  as  in  Great 
Britain,  its  colonies,  and  dependencies,  is  based  upon  the  com- 
mon law  right  of  the  consumer  to  be  protected  against  substi- 
tution in  his  buying  and  the  rights  of  the  manufacturer  to  the 
exclusive  use  of  a  trade-mark  for  that  purpose.  The  right  of 
the  manufacturer  to  the  use  of  a  particular  trade-mark  is  de- 
ternimed  by : 

1.  Whether  or  not  he  is  the  first  user  of  the  mark 

2.  Whether  the  mark  conflicts  with  some  other  to  a  suffi- 

cient degree  to  confuse  the  buyer  and  lead  to  possible 
damage  to  the  manufacturer's  business  in  that  w^ay. 

In  order  to  afford  a  practical  and  easy  means  of  determining 
his  position  to  some  extent,  the  man  who  is  using  a  trade-mark 
may  register  it  with  the  patent  office,  giving  copies  of  the  mark, 
the  date  of  the  first  use,  and  other  particulars.  The  patent 
office  authorities  will  not  register  the  mark  if  it  — 

1.  Is  descriptive  of  the  product. 

2.  Involves  the  use  of  a  geographical,  historical,  or  proper 

name. 

3.  Conflicts  with  other  previous  marks  to  their  knowledge. 


5o8  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

After  application  and  passage  through  the  examiner's  hands 
the  mark  is  pubHshed  in  the  official  gazette  for  thirty  days, 
during  which  time  anyone  affected  may  protest  against  its  reg- 
istration. Unless  a  protest  is  made  the  mark  is  registered. 
The  registration  of  a  mark  does  not  confer  any  rights  upon  the 
registrant.  If  some  other  party  has  continuously  used  the 
mark  from  a  date  prior  to  the  registrant's  first  use  of  it,  he 
can  claim  the  right  to  the  mark  although  he  has  never  registered 
it  and  did  not  protest  the  registrant's  application.  What  the 
registration  does,  is  to  give  the  registrant  prima  facie  evidence 
of  ownership  and  lay  the  burden  of  proof  to  the  contrary  upon 
the  other  party.  The  difficulties  of  the  case  are  not  decreased 
by  the  fact  that  the  files  of  trade-marks  in  the  patent  office  are 
not  cross-indexed  thoroughly  and  a  search  may  not  establish 
all  the  information.  Neither  are  these  files  representative  of 
all  trade-marks,  as  there  are  numbers  of  marks  in  the  United 
States  which  are  not  registered  at  all  and  which  may  not  be  dis- 
covered at  the  time  of  adoption  of  the  trade-mark  by  the  regis- 
trant. 

It  is  not  generally  understood  by  sales  and  advertising  execu- 
tives that  trade-marks  are  not  property  —  they  are  merelv  an 
identification  and  cannot  be  transferred,  bought,  or  sold  by 
themselves.  Then  they  can  be  transferred  only  as  part  and 
parcel  of  a  Inisiness.  In  this  respect  they  differ  from  patents 
and  this  difference  must  be  well  understood. 

Foreign  Requirements 

In  some  of  the  European  countries  and  some  of  the  South 
An^erican  countries  the  trade-mark  laws  are  entirely  different 
from  those  obtaining  in  the  United  States.  In  these  coun- 
tries the  first  registrant  of  a  trade-mark  is  the  owner  of  the 
mark  and  the  prior  use  of  it  by  another  individual  or  corpora- 
tion does  not  affect  the  matter.  There  are  a  number  of  well- 
known  cases  where  American  concerns  have  found  their  trade- 


THE  TRADE-MARK  509 

marks  already  pre-empted  by  local  concerns  in  several  of  these 
South  American  cases  and  they  have  been  put  to  much  trouble 
and  expense  to  straighten  the  matter  out. 

In  most  cases  the  time  required  to  procure  registration  in 
foreign  countries  is  very  much  longer  than  that  required  in 
this  country,  even  supposing  there  are  no  delays,  or  protests, 
or  questions  of  local  registrations.  For  this  reason  foreign 
registration  of  trade-marks  should  be  fully  attended  to  before 
there  is  any  prospect  of  goods  arriving  in  quantity  in  the  for- 
eign market,  so  that  no  difficulty  will  be  experienced  after  trade 
is  once  established.  Furthermore,  the  question  of  applicability 
of  trade-marks  to  the  conditions  of  the  country  and  the  popula- 
tion should  be  studied,  as  the  trade-mark  which  is  thoroughly 
suitable  for  the  United  States  may  be  utterly  unsuited  for 
operations  in  countries  speaking  entirely  different  languages 
and  having  different  customs  and  conditions. 

Certificate  Countries 

The  United  States  has  a  convention  agreement  with  a  num- 
ber of  countries,  whereby  among  other  things  the  corporation 
domesticated  in  the  United  States  must  have  secured  a  certifi- 
cate of  registration  in  this  country  before  applying  for  regis- 
tration in  other  countries.  Other  conventions  between  differ- 
ent countries  affect  the  operations  of  trade-marks  in  the  various 
quarters  of  the  globe.  The  colonies  of  some  countries  handle 
their  own  trade-mark  affairs ;  in  others  they  are  taken  care  of 
by  registration  in  the  parent  country.  As  a  matter  of  fact 
the  ramifications  of  trade-mark  practice  are  so  many  that  a 
competent  trade-mark  attorney  is  necessary  when  considering 
such  questions.  There  should  be  no  question  about  securing 
such  advice  as  it  is  the  only  method  of  keeping  out  of  difficulty 
and  getting  results  worth  while. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

MANUFACTURER'S  AIDS  TO  DEALERS 

General  Purpose 

In  connection  with  the  manufacturer's  work  in  establishing 
a  trade-mark  or  a  brand,  and  in  individuality  of  his  service  to 
the  consumer  who  buys  his  materials  for  the  most  part  from 
dealers,  the  manufacturer  has  naturally  examined  the  retail 
situation  to  some  extent  and  discovered  that  his  work  did  not 
cease  with  the  bringing  of  the  goods  to  the  consumer  in  his 
own  advertising,  but  that  he  could  further  his  purpose  by  deal- 
ing with  the  distributor  and  aiding  the  distributor  in  securing 
larger  benefit  from  the  general  advertising  by  using  some  of 
the  particular  advertising  media  which  the  manufacturer  was 
prepared  to  furnish  him.  There-is  no  doubt  that  this  has  been 
and  is  an  important  part  in  the  advertising  scheme  for  any  man- 
ufacturer, but  the  situation  becomes  more  and  more  difficult  as 
the  manufacturers  in  all  lines  try  to  impress  upon  the  dealer 
the  necessity  for  using  all  the  particular  "  dealer's  aids  "  as 
they  are  called,  which  they  are  prepared  to  furnish. 

Dealers  who  are  handling  many  hundreds  of  products  are 
naturally  unable  to  consider  in  such  a  way  more  than  a  few  of 
these  products,  and  the  consequence  is  that  in  the  general  awak- 
ening to  the  power  and  possibility  of  the  dealer,  the  manu- 
facturers swamped  him  with  so  much  material  presumably  in- 
tended to  aid  in  his  service,  that  he  has  become  callous  to  its 
possibilities.  Furthermore,  so  much  of  this  material  has  been 
but  remotely  connected  with  his  work  that  he  has  been  in  many 
cases  antagonized  instead  of  aided.     Where  there  has  been 

510 


MANUFACTURER'S  AIDS  TO  DEALERS       5" 

some  service  besides  the  manufacturer's  suggestions  to  the 
dealer,  and  where  these  helps  were  put  up  in  such  a  way  that 
they  were  readily  understood  by  the  dealer,  no  difficulty  has 
been  found  in  securing  the  dealer's  co-operation  in  the  use  of 
them. 

There  are,  of  course,  many  limitations  attached  to  the  use 
of  the  advertising  material  specially  intended  for  the  service 
of  the  dealer.  These  limitations  are  partly  connected  with  the 
extent  of  competition  along  these  lines,  the  competition  in  such 
cases  existing  between  all  manufacturers  reaching  the  same 
dealer,  rather  than  between  manufacturers  selling  the  same  kind 
of  goods.  They  are  partly  connected  with  the  situation  of 
the  dealer,  partly  with  the  diversity  of  products  which  he  sells, 
and  partly  with  the  character  of  the  material  which  is  offered 
to  him.  It  is  obvious  that  only  a  certain  proportion  of  the 
dealers  in  any  one  line  of  business  will  be  interested  in  any 
special  offer  or  any  special  methods  of  increasing  the  trade. 
And  it  is  equally  obvious  that  the  attempt  to  interest  the  dealer 
in  service  schemes  of  various  kinds  may,  if  it  is  carried  out  to 
the  fullest  degree,  result  in  the  limitation  of  the  value  of  all 
such  methods,  because  of  the  multiplicity  of  the  demands. 
The  possibilities  of  useful  service  lie  in  the  supply  of  material 
which  is  intended  to  increase  the  value  of  the  store  itself  in  the 
eyes  of  the  customers,  which  is  intended  to  increase  the  use  of 
the  product  by  direct  application  of  the  store  principles  or 
which  is  intended  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  dealer  by  ex- 
tending his  own  information  in  regard  to  the  possibilities  of  his 
trade. 

While  it  is  obvious  that  these  are  permanent  functions  inas- 
much as  no  class  of  business  wnll  be  able  to  round  out  all  its 
opportunities  at  the  same  time,  it  is  equally  obvious  that  the 
operation  details  in  the  execution  of  the  performance  of  such 
functions  will  constantly  change,  as  the  dealer  in  regard  to  his 
position  and  information  changes,  so  that  he  becomes  more 


512  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

discriminating  in  the  use  and  more  insistent  in  the  requirement 
of  such  service. 

Window  Displays 

The  most  obvious  and  consequently  the  most  highly  devel- 
oped service  of  the  manufacturer  to  the  dealer  in  aiding  the 
distribution  of  his  own  goods  has  been  in  the  matter  of  win- 
dow displays.  While,  of  course,  the  larger  dealers  have  their 
own  window  display  departments,  experts  in  the  planning  of 
attractive  and  suggestive  windows,  the  thousands  of  dealers  in 
the  more  important  retail  lines  scattered  through  the  country 
are  in  general  without  any  definite  policy  on  this  matter,  and 
consequently  can  be  served  by  the  offer  of  window  display  of 
various  manufacturers.  The  same  situation  is  arising,  how- 
ever, in  this  connection  that  has  arisen  in  a  good  many  other 
items  which  form  part  of  the  manufacturer's  service  to  the 
dealer.  Where  the  dealer  once  had  no  aid  in  the  matter  of 
window  display  and  concluded  to  stock  as  much  as  possible  of 
his  goods  in  the  window  and  let  it  go  at  that,  he  is  now  con- 
fronted with  an  embarrassment  of  riches  in  that  there  are  many 
manufacturers  prepared  to  offer  him  service  of  this  kind,  and 
it  becomes  impossible  for  him  to  use  more  than  a  small  per- 
centage of  the  service  that  he  can  get.  This  means  that  the 
competition  is  l^ecoming  constantly  keener,  the  window  display 
arrangements  are  becoming  more  expensive,  so  that  some  man- 
ufacturers of  products  of  general  use  carry  their  own  window 
trimming  crews ;  and  it  also  means  that  the  conditions  in  the 
future  in  respect  to  this  kind  of  service  will  probably  change 
materially,  imposing  upon  the  manufacturer  conditions  which 
are  somewhat  more  burdensome  than  those  obtaining  tcxlay. 

Of  course,  it  is  true  that  the  manufacturer  of  a  product  with 
the  possibility  of  reproducing  hundreds  of  window  displays  at 
a  time,  with  the  possibility  of  securing  the  best  service  along 
these  lines,  is  in  a  position  to  make  window  displays  for  the 


MANUFACTURER'S  AIDS  TO  DEALERS  513 

use  of  the  dealer  which  are  far  ahead  of  anything  the  dealer 
could  secure  himself.  The  trouble  is  that  the  manufacturer 
has  been  so  lavish  with  this  service,  getting  it  to  those  who  do 
not  want  it  and  pressing  it  upon  those  who  are  reluctant,  that 
the  value  of  the  service  is  not  understood  very  thoroughly  by 
the  retailer  today,  and  it  is  only  the  few  unusual  suggestions 
which  receive  the  attention  they  merit.  Nevertheless,  the  use 
of  the  dealer's  window  forms  such  an  important  part  of  the 
manufacturer's  advertising  and  the  sale  to  the  consumer,  that 
this  condition  of  affairs  results  in  imposing  upon  the  manu- 
facturer a  greater  necessity  for  originality  and  completeness 
of  service.  It  is  obvious  that  he  cannot  do  without  the  window 
display  and  that  he  must  find  means  of  inducing  the  dealer  to 
carry  out  his  suggestions  in  this  regard,  and  make  use  of  the 
display  material  supplied. 

Store  Cards 

All  retailers  handle  a  great  many  varieties  of  products  so 
that  it  is  impossible  to  bring  before  the  minds  of  the  customers 
the  possibilities  existing  each  day  to  increase  the  individual  pur- 
chase. It  is  necessary,  therefore,  for  the  store  to  call  certain 
things  to  the  attention  of  the  customer  so  that  these  individual 
items  impress  themselves  on  the  mind  and  insure  possibility  in 
purchases  which  might  otherwise  have  been  neglected.  The 
custom  of  drawing  attention  to  particular  items  by  the  use  of 
cards  is  an  old  one,  and  it  was  not  long  after  the  manufac- 
turer began  to  impress  his  trade-mark  on  the  consumer  that  he 
appreciated  the  value  of  the  store  card  in  suggesting  to  the  re- 
tailer's customer  goods  of  his  brand.  He  began,  therefore,  to 
supply  the  dealer  with  store  cards  for  his  use  which  would  draw 
attention  to  the  product  and  at  the  same  time  advertise  the 
trade-mark.  Competition  has  developed  this  method  so  that 
the  dealer  suffers  from  an  oversupply  of  store  cards,  as  he 
does  of  most  advertising  matter.     The  consequence  is  that  his 


514  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

use  of  store  cards  becomes  a  matter  of  choice  of  methods  that 
are  brought  to  his  attention  and  of  the  appHcabihty  of  the 
store  card  to  his  business.  It  has  developed,  therefore,  that 
the  manufacturer  has  extended  the  store  card  sen'ice  so  that 
it  not  only  draws  attention  to  particular  products  but  can  be 
used  in  explaining  the  character  of  the  service  or  in  acting  as 
one  of  the  prominent  directions.  Thus  Coca-Cola  issues  store 
cards  to  the  druggists  who  have  soda  fountains,  ''  Get  your 
soda  check  at  the  cashier's  desk  "  with  Coca-Cola  advertising 
underneath.  Several  other  pertinent  store  directions  are  used 
by  the  same  firm  in  connection  with  their  store  cards.  The 
following  paragraph  from  an  article  in  Printer's  Ink  of  Au- 
gust 21,  19 1 3,  regarding  the  desirable  quality  of  store  cards 
and  other  matter,  from  the  pen  of  a  wide-awake  dealer,  is  a 
good  statement  as  to  the  kind  of  material  which  the  present 
day  dealer  requires  from  the  manufacturer  : 

Many  specimens  of  the  matter  sent  to  the  dealer  for  his 
use  are  of  such  a  fantastic  design  or  shape  that  he  does  not 
care  to  use  them.  Airships  to  be  suspended  from  the  ceil- 
ing and  Dutch  windmills  to  be  stood  upon  the  counter  and  all 
that  sort  of  stuff  will  be  immediately  scrapped  by  the  sensi- 
ble retailer.  Cut-outs,  if  well  done,  are  popular  for  window 
displays.  Many  of  them,  however,  are  poorly  executed  and 
are  too  large  for  convenient  use.  I  have  just  seen  a  cut- 
out showing  a  boy  and  a  dog,  from  the  makers  of  K.  &  E. 
Boys'  Rompers  and  Blouses,  that  is  very  effective.  It  is  neat, 
beautifully  executed,  and  of  a  size  that  is  practical  for  a 
variety  of  uses.  That  cut-out  will  be  kept  at  work  until  it 
becomes  shabby  from  handling.  The  carton  and  cut-out 
window  exhibits  sent  out  to  the  grocery  trade  arc,  with  few 
exceptions,  excellent,  but  they  never  should  be  sent  without 
an  order.  Don't  these  advertisers  know  that  three-quarters 
of  their  expensive  displays  are  never  used?  A  show  card 
that  looks  like  a  crazy  quilt  does  not  appeal  to  the  average 
dealer.  I  have  one  before  me  measuring  12  x  5  from  the  Am- 
brosia Chocolate  Company,  that  contains  nearly  a  dozen  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  type  and  as  many  different  sizes.     That  card 


MANUFACTURER'S  AIDS  TO  DEALERS  515 

will  mar  any  display  with  which  it  is  used.  If  it  were  about 
a  third  the  size,  and  printed  neatly,  it  would  make  an  excel- 
lent price  card.  Why  advertisers  go  to  the  expense  of  get- 
ting up  freakish  selling  helps  is  one  of  the  great  unsolved 
mysteries.  Matter  prepared  with  the  evident  intention  of 
being  "  clever  "  usually  falls  short  of  its  aim.  The  keynote 
of  the  effective  circular  or  sign,  or  whatever  it  is,  is  sim- 
plicity and  not  cleverness. 

Store  cards  are  valuable  to  the  manufacturer  and  of  impor- 
tance to  the  dealer  provided  they  can  be  arranged  so  as  to 
perform  real  service  to  the  store  in  general  besides  advertising 
the  trade-mark  of  the  manufacturer  who  supplies  them. 

Demonstrations  and  Samples 

In  respect  to  many  lines  of  merchandise,  particularly  those 
connected  with  the  household  or  with  matters  more  or  less 
personal  —  with  styles  of  clothing,  etc.,  demonstration  adds 
such  a  large  value  to  the  display  by  its  showing  of  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  goods  that  this  method  is  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance, particularly  in  connection  with  the  introduction  of 
products  of  general  consumption,  which  readily  lend  them- 
selves to  such  a  means  of  exploitation. 

There  are,  of  course,  so  many  articles  in  general  consump- 
tion, the  uses  of  which  are  so  self-evident  and  the  individual 
differences  of  so  little  importance,  that  they  cannot  be  accept- 
ably demonstrated.  There  are,  furthermore,  many  products 
which  would  offer  no  attractive  display  from  the  demonstra- 
tion standpoint  although  it  would  be  perfectly  feasible  to 
demonstrate  their  actual  use. 

Wliere  an  improvement  has  been  made  in  an  existing  prod- 
uct or  where  the  purposes  of  a  product  are  not  obvious  from 
its  appearance,  the  demonstration  is  of  considerable  impor- 
tance in  the  introduction  of  such  a  product  to  the  customers  of 
a  store.  Of  course,  in  some  lines  of  goods,  particularly  in 
women's  wear,  demonstration  is  a  regular  part  of  the  business 


5l6  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

and  should  not  be  omitted  from  the  consideration  of  sales 
methods  under  any  circumstances.  The  advantage  to  the 
storekeeper  of  demonstrations  wherever  they  are  possible  is 
obvious.  Goods  actually  in  use  are  attractive,  they  spell  ac- 
tivity, they  give  opportunities  for  comment,  criticism,  for  sug- 
gestion, which  are  impossible  with  displays  only  and  their 
addition  to  the  buying  impulse  is  most  important.  It  is  prob- 
able that  the  demonstration  of  the  possibilities  in  electric  cook- 
ing utensils  has  had  more  to  do  with  progress  along  these  hues 
than  any  other  single  feature  of  the  work  done  by  manufac- 
turers of  such  appliances. 

The  inertia  against  new  things  is  particularly  strong  in 
household  affairs,  and  especially  with  household  equipment, 
so  that  in  such  cases  demonstration  at  times  represents  the 
only  possibility  of  turning  interest  into  action.  Wherever' 
demonstration  can  be  adequately  made,  wherever  the  possibili- 
ties of  sale  will  permit  it.  and  where  the  demonstration  itself 
will  add  something  to  the  known  value  of  the  product  by  its 
further  explanation,  it  is  a  part  of  the  manufacturer's  work 
with  the  dealer  which  should  by  no  means  be  overlooked. 

Where  it  is  impossible  to  demonstrate  to  the  consumer  of 
the  product  the  service  which  will  be  rendered  by  it,  the  next 
most  definite  way  of  convincing  the  consumer  is  to  give  him 
an  opportunity  to  use  the  product  itself.  This  consists  of 
demonstration  by  the  use  of  sampling  and  is  a  part  of  prac- 
tically every  advertising  method  adopted  by  manufacturers  of 
goods  which  are  consumed  generally  and  which  can  be  tested 
in  small  quantities.  In  combination  with  most  other  methods 
of  advertising,  however,  this  method  has  been  worked  to  such 
a  point  that  the  sampling  must  not  only  be  done  but  it  must 
be  done  in  such  a  way  as  to  draw  attention  to  the  product  in 
order  to  have  it  work  out  to  the  highest  efficiency.  The  value 
of  samples  in  demonstrations  depends  upon  the  visual  and  con- 
crete items  upcr  which  the  possible  or  prospective  customer  can 


MANUFACTURER'S  AIDS  TO  DEALERS       5^7 

concentrate.  After  all,  spoken  language  is  something  which 
is  easy  to  hear  without  paying  attention  to,  and  written  lan- 
guage only  a  little  less  so.  Operations  conducted  before  one's 
eyes,  however,  because  of  their  action  and  the  curiosity  aroused 
by  such  action,  have  a  tendency  to  automatically  concentrate 
the  minds  upon  such  demonstrations;  and  the  presence  of  a 
concrete  object  has  something  of  the  same  tendency.  It  would 
be  readily  understood  that  a  superfluity  of  samples  or  of  dem- 
onstration might  defeat  their  own  purposes,  because  the  mind 
would  refuse  to  concentrate  upon  so  many  different  proposi- 
tions, selecting  those  which  are  presented  in  such  a  way  as  to 
impress  themselves  more  readily  upon  it. 

In  sampling,  because  of  its  expense  and  because  of  the  large 
possibilities  of  waste,  the  method  which  is  adopted  is  of  the 
utmost  importance,  and  it  may  be  said  that,  provided  the  prod- 
uct lends  itself  to  sampling,  the  wisdom  of  sampling  depends 
not  upon  the  advantage  of  presenting  some  of  the  product,  but 
upon  the  method  by  which  this  is  accomplished. 

Booklets  and  Other  Printed  Matter,  for  Distribution  by  the 
Dealer 

The  retailer  sends  out  a  great  many  parcels,  some  letters 
and  a  good  many  bills.  He  is  very  willing  and  anxious  to 
distribute  with  these  parcels  and  this  correspondence  printed 
matter  of  the  right  kind.  That  there  is  an  enormous  amount 
of  waste  in  connection  with  such  printed  matter  is  evidenced 
by  the  statement  following.  It  was  made  in  an  article  from 
System  by  George  L.  Lewis,  who  was  granted  opportunity  to 
sift  the  waste  paper  baskets  of  a  number  of  dealers. 

Today,  tor  instance,  thirty-two  pieces  of  third-class  mat- 
ter have  been  received.  Of  these,  here  are  three  on  my 
desk;  the  rest  are  in  the  waste  basket.  Probably  'n  those 
thirty-two  cards  and  circulars  every  available  article  that 
we  sell  in  the  store  is  represented.     But  of  that  number  of 


5l8  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

different  manufacturers  and  wholesalers  only  three  really  got 
my  attention.  Those  three  offer  to  send  at  their  expense, 
without  throwing  any  responsibility  on  me  whatever,  samples 
of  the  goods  they  make  —  the  entire  article,  mind  you  —  not 
parts  or  samples  of  goods. 

A  waist  manufacturer  is  willing  to  send  prepaid  a  new 
blouse,  a  novelty  in  design  and  pattern,  so  I  can  actually  see 
it  and  feel  it  and  examine  it  here  at  my  leisure.  So  also  are 
the  oft'ers  of  a  maker  of  hair  goods.  All  the  others,  in  va- 
rious ways,  want  us  to  give  orders,  write  for  an  appointment 
with  salesmen,  or  fill  out  postal  cards  with  all  sorts  of  speci- 
fications.    Well,  I  can't  bother  with  them.  .  .  . 

Then  I  called  on  another  retailer,  a  clothier,  just  as  he 
was  sorting  his  mail.  It  was  interesting  to  note  how  care- 
fully he  opened  and  laid  aside  for  future  reference  all  first- 
class  matter,  and  how,  after  a  glance,  he  threw  away  most 
of  the  third-class  stuff.  This  instance,  and  quite  a  number 
like  it,  show  that  mail  is  usually  opened  with  just  about  the 
same  consideration  as  the  sender  gives  to  it.  First-class 
sealed  matter  under  two  cent  postage,  is  considered  with 
triple,  not  double,  the  attention  that  third-class  matter  re- 
ceives. 

A  very  small  portion,  my  inquiry  showed,  only  four  and 
one-half  per  cent  of  third-class  matter  reaches  the  active 
buyers  of  the  various  departments.  Each  day's  mail  at  these 
big  stores  is  opened  and  sorted  by  a  staff  of  girls  who  place 
the  letters,  circulars,  or  cards  in  separate  baskets,  designated 
for  the  various  department  heads.  In  addition,  I  found  that 
incoming  mail  passed  through  the  hands  of  each  buyer's 
stenographer  or  secretary  or  assistant  before  it  reached  his 
desk.  When  the  mail  does  reach  him,  it  is  generally  bared 
of  any  third-class  matter.  With  the  e.xception  of  some  card 
or  circular  that  is  usually  attractive  or  clever  in  its  physical 
makeup,  very  few  appeals  of  this  nature  find  a  place  on  the 
buyer's  blotter. 

These  evidences  go  to  show  what  has  been  stated  from  time 
to  time,  that  lack  of  consideration  as  to  the  dealer's  possible 
use  of  material,  lack  of  any  attempt  to  fit  the  material  to  the 
dealer's  needs,  and  lack  of  consideration  for  his  already  busy 


MANUFACTURER'S  AIDS  TO  DEALERS  519 

hours,  result  in  the  waste  of  by  far  the  largest  part  of  the 
printed  matter  which  goes  out  from  the  manufacturer's  office. 
It  is  inevitable  that  the  receipt  of  so  much  matter  by  the 
dealer  should  result  in  his  tendency  to  avoid  the  mass  of  it  if 
not  all  of  it.  If  it  is  possible  for  a  dealer  in  the  course  of  four 
months  to  throw  away  2,400  pounds  of  advertising  matter 
after  he  has  picked  out  all  he  can  use  of  it,  it  is  evident  that 
present  methods  of  distributing  to  the  dealer  are  not  as  efficient 
as  they  should  be.  All  the  progressive  dealers  who  have 
written  and  talked  upon  the  subject,  insist  upon  the  desirability 
of  limiting  all  printed  matter  distributed  to  the  dealer  to  those 
items  which  he  requests,  stating  that  he  will  request  as  a  gen- 
eral rule  a  supply  of  those  things  for  which  he  has  any  use. 
The  difficulties  mentioned  in  connection  with  printed  matter 
to  the  dealer  and  for  his  use  are : 

1.  That  much  of  it  talks  at  the  dealer  or  his  customer 

instead  of  to  him. 

2.  That  a  large  part  of  it  is  not  calculated  to  fit  in  with 

the  ideas  or  service  of  the  store. 

3.  That  it  is  sent  many  times  in  such  odd  shapes  that  it 

cannot  readily  be  mailed. 

4.  That  it  frequently  contains  nothing  of  service  from  a 

store  standpoint  or  as  advertising  the  store  to  the 
customer. 

In  other  words,  the  manufacturer  has  been,  up  to  the  pres- 
ent, viewing  the  dealer  simply  as  an  outlet  for  his  goods  instead 
of  a  distributor  who  has  thousands  of  lines  to  take  care  of  and 
who  can  give  attention  to  only  a  few  of  these  lines.  Since  he 
must  choose  and  discriminate  for  the  benefit  of  his  own  busi- 
ness he  looks  at  all  such  manufacturer's  helps  from  the  value 
which  their  use  would  give  him.  rather  than  from  the  manu- 
facturer's standpoint  in  his  desire  to  move  a  maximum  quan- 
tity of  goods. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

ORGANIZATION  AND  PRODUCT 

Character  of  Sales  Oganization 

It  is  obvious  that  as  a  preliminary  to  the  advertising  plan 
there  must  be  in  the  mind  of  the  advertising  man  who  is  at- 
tempting to  do  the  planning  a  thorough  understanding  of  the 
sales  organization  concerned.  It  is  not  enough  for  him  to 
know  that  there  are  a  certain  number  of  salesmen  with  certain 
territorial  arrangements  or  any  collection  of  general  facts  in 
regard  to  the  situation.  He  must  be  reinforced  in  his  knowl- 
edge by  some  idea  as  to  the  general  character  of  the  sales 
force,  its  attitude  in  respect  to  advertising,  its  general  methods 
of  solicitation,  and  the  extent  to  which  its  services  are  required 
in  work  which  is  not  directly  connected  with  securing  an  order. 
In  some  lines  of  business  the  services  demanded  of  the  sales 
force  in  connection  with  the  installation  and  operation  of  a 
product  are  sufficiently  important  to  determine  the  qualities 
which  will  govern  in  the  hiring  of  salesmen.  In  other  organ- 
izations the  amount  of  service  required  outside  of  the  solici- 
tation necessary  to  secure  the  business  is  practically  nil.  It  is 
well  for  the  advertising  man  to  understand  how  frequently  the 
salesmen  are  personally  in  touch  with  headquarters,  how  they 
are  kept  in  touch  by  correspondence,  the  way  in  which  they 
must  report,  the  extent  and  character  of  their  sales  in  their 
individual  territories,  and  as  much  of  their  personality  as  he 
can  secure. 

He  should  also  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  branch 
organization,  if  a  system  of  branch  offices  exist,  and  with  the 
methods   of   operating   these   branch    houses.     He   must,    of 

S20 


ORGANIZATION  AND  PRODUCT  521 

course,  know  whether  the  sales  force  is  occupied  in  selHng 
direct  to  the  consumer  or  selHng  to  someone  who  must  resell. 
He  should  know  whether  they  have  been  put  through  a  tech- 
nical training  in  regard  to  the  business  or  whether  there  is  no 
standard  method  of  giving  them  the  information. 

Operating  Policy 

The  operating  policy  of  the  sales  organization  should  also 
be  understood.  Is  there  a  system  of  branch  managers,  each 
with  his  sales  force  responsible  to  him,  or  is  there  a  direct 
contact  between  each  member  of  the  sales  force  and  the  gen- 
eral sales  manager?  Do  the  salesmen  operate  in  specific  terri- 
tories or  specialize  upon  lines  of  business?  Are  they  all  en- 
gaged in  selling  exclusively  the  products  to  be  advertised  or 
are  these  products  only  a  part  of  their  work?  Such  details 
of  operating  policies  of  the  sales  force  should  be  thoroughly 
understood  if  the  advertising  man  is  expected  to  take  full 
advantage  of  the  organization  in  connection  with  his  work  and 
to  establish  that  particular  type  of  co-operation  which  is  essen- 
tial to  the  fullest  efficiency  of  the  advertising  operations. 

Sales  manuals  should  be  thoroughly  studied,  or  if  there  are 
none,  then  the  instructions  gix'en  to  salesmen  when  they  begin 
their  work.  Such  manuals  and  instructions  represent  the  con- 
densed experience  of  the  organization  in  question  and  contain 
those  facts  and  claims  upon  which  its  representatives  are  ex- 
pected to  base  their  solicitations.  It  is  also  well  for  the  adver- 
tising man  to  understand  the  system  of  remuneration  which 
obtains  and  the  way  in  which  this  system  is  operated,  so  that 
he  will  not  be  working  upon  the  supposition  that  the  men  are 
receiving  a  flat  salary  when  they  are  really  depending  on  a 
commission  or  a  bonus  arrangement. 

Character  of  Product 

It  goes  without  saying  that  the  man  who  will  plan  adver- 
tising for  a  concern  must  exercise  a  reasonable  amount  of  care 


522  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

in  the  study  of  the  product  which  is  to  be  advertised.  It  is 
probable  that  in  a  great  many  cases  the  advertising  man  who 
is  not  directly  connected  with  a  manufacturer's  organization 
studies  the  product  in  a  somewhat  superficial  manner  and  fails 
to  arrive  at  some  of  the  fundamental  reasons  for  its  position. 
Few  men  have  such  adaptability  or  such  a  quick  grasp  tnat 
they  can  secure  from  a  rapid  survey  of  a  product  a  reliable 
understanding  of  its  characters  and  individuality,  but  such  an 
understanding  is  absolutely  necessary  if  the  advertising  is  to 
be  applied  to  that  particular  product  in  the  most  eftlcient 
manner. 

Every  organization  has  come  into  being  because  of  some 
differences  as  well  as  some  similarities  between  its  work  and 
those  of  similar  organizations  in  the  same  field.  The  similari- 
ties represent  the  general  practices  which  are  common  to  busi- 
ness and  they  can  be  discovered  from  a  general  survey  of  the 
industry  or  trade.  The  dififerences  are  the  points  of  practice 
which  have  grown  up  from  the  personality  and  previous  rec- 
ords of  the  individual  organization,  and  it  is  in  these  differ- 
ences that  the  possibility  of  advertising  in  an  effectual  way  is 
to  be  found.  As  a  rule  these  individual  differences  do  not  ap- 
pear on  the  surface,  to  be  easily  secured  in  the  course  of  a  rapid 
survey.  To  most  men  they  are  observable  only  after  some 
acquaintance  alike  with  personnel  and  with  operating  policy. 
These  differences,  however,  have  served,  so  far,  to  mark  out 
the  organization  to  some  extent  from  the  competitive  units ; 
and  inasmuch  as  they  can  be  used  for  advertising  they  can  be 
made  to  accentuate  that  individuality. 

It  is  the  advertising  man's  necessity  that  he  should  in  all 
things  attempt  to  provide  a  line  of  demarcation  whereby  the 
individual  product  which  he  is  advertising  can  be  separated 
from  all  its  competitors'  product.  The  history  and  the  prac- 
tice of  the  individual  organization  will  indicate  one  means  of 
securing:  this. 


ORGANIZATION  AND  PRODUCT  523 

Technicality  of  Product 

This  question  involves  not  the  technicality  required  for  the 
manufacture  of  the  product,  but  the  amount  of  special  infor- 
mation which  goes  into  the  buying  and  the  use  of  the  product. 
It  is  concerned  largely  with  a  study  of  the  purposes  for  which 
the  product  is  used  and  the  section  of  the  population  by  which 
it  is  bought.  Advertising  covers  such  a  range  of  subjects 
and  is  used  for  such  a  wide  variety  of  products  that  the  con- 
ditions which  obtain  in  the  advertising  of  one  product  may  not 
apply  in  the  least  to  the  advertising  of  another.  The  technical 
points  which  are  involved  in  the  buying  and  use  of  a  product 
must  be  thoroughly  understood  in  order  that  the  principles  may 
be  properly  worked  out  in  operating  practice. 

The  advertising  man  who  wishes  to  sell  to  a  line  of  factories 
a  complicated  machine  tool  is  faced  with  an  entirely  different 
problem  from  the  one  which  confronts  the  advertising  man 
who  desires  to  find  a  market  for  a  new  line  of  toilet  soaps. 
Practically  every  medium  which  he  will  use  in  advertising 
must  be  studied  from  an  entirely  different  standpoint  and  used 
in  an  entirely  different  way. 

Usage  of  Product 

Allied  to  this  question  of  technicalities  is  the  question  of 
the  usage  of  the  product,  except  that  the  usage  of  the  product 
refers  not  only  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  bought  but  also 
to  the  buyer's  association  of  values.  The  way  in  which  a 
product  enters  into  the  business  considerations,  the  social  life, 
or  the  personal  habits  of  the  buyer  affects  the  value  which  the 
buyer  attaches  to  the  product  and  to  the  discrimination  between 
various  products.  This  matter  is  referred  to  under  the  head  of 
"  Buying  Habits  "'  to  some  extent  in  the  first  chapters  of  the 
book,  and  a  more  comprehensive  study  may  be  made  of  the 
matter  by  reference  to  "  The  New  Business." 

It  is  obvious  that  a  product  which  is  used  only  in  connection 


524  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

with  another  product  and  as  a  part  of  the  working  of  another 
product,  does  not  assume  the  vahie  in  the  mind  of  the  user 
that  is  estabhshed  when  the  product  can  be  used  by  itself.  As 
an  example  of  the  difference  in  the  buying  habit  of  the  con- 
sumer in  such  cases,  it  is  interesting  to  refer  to  the  automobile 
business.  The  automobile  as  such  is  rarely,  if  ever,  bought 
without  the  buyer  being  acquainted  with  the  name  and  the 
characteristics  of  the  particular  car  which  he  buys.  In  some 
lines  of  accessories,  however,  which  are  used  for  this  car,  the 
buyer  asks  for  the  name  in  fewer  than  one-third  of  the  cases. 
In  connection  with  some  of  the  supplies  which  are  required 
for  the  running  of  the  car,  the  demand  for  a  particular  brand 
is  made  in  only  lo  per  cent  of  the  cases.  Similarly,  it  has 
been  shown  that  the  householder  will  discriminate  about  five 
times  as  frequently  in  favor  of  a  particular  brand  in  the  case 
of  a  floor  wax  or  polish  than  in  the  case  of  laundry  soap,  al- 
though both  articles  cost  so  little  that  the  amount  of  money 
involved  would  not  in  itself  indicate  such  a  difference. 

This  matter  of  usage  in  its  effect  upon  the  buyer  in  regard 
to  discrimination,  carries  all  the  way  through,  even  in  business 
circles  where  things  are  bought  for  business  purposes.  The 
discrimination  which  is  exercised  by  a  production  manager  in 
the  buying  of  machinery  is  almost  loo  per  cent,  while  the  dis- 
crimination which  he  exercises  upon  the  oil  upon  which  the 
running  of  the  machinery  depends  is  less  than  25  per  cent  and 
is  frequently  exercised  even  in  those  cases  only  as  a  matter 
of  price. 

It  is  obvious  that  in  cases  where  the  discrimination  has  al- 
ready become  a  general  habit,  no  great  amount  of  difficulty 
will  be  involved  in  educating  the  consumer  as  to  the  importance 
of  choice,  and  consequently  the  intUience  of  the  advertising  will 
be  very  greatly  enlarged.  On  the  other  hand,  in  the  cases 
where  the  discrimination  is  not  exercised  to  any  extent  by  the 
consumer,  the  advertising  value  will  be  wasted  to  a  very  con- 


ORGANIZATION  AND  PRODUCT  525 

siderable  degree  unless  the  consumer  can  be  educated  to  acquire 
the  habit  of  discrimination  in  this  particular  case. 

Distribution  of  Product 

Under  this  heading  must  be  considered  the  channels  through 
which  a  product  must  pass  from  the  time  it  leaves  the  manu- 
facturer until  it  is  in  the  possession  of  the  final  user.  There 
are  four  general  conditions  obtaining  in  this  respect  and  the 
product  in  question  must  fall  within  one  or  the  other  of  these 
four  classes : 

1.  Direct  from  manufacturer  to  consumer.  This  is  the  case 
with  most  products  involving  considerable  money  for  the  indi- 
vidual order,  which  are  bought  in  connection  with  the  opera- 
tion of  the  business,  and  with  which  there  is  considerable  bulk 
per  individual  order. 

2.  From  the  manufacturer  through  the  retailer  to  the  con- 
sumer. This  is  the  case  of  those  products  which  are  consumed 
by  the  general  public  but  which  are  required  in  sufficient  quan- 
tity by  the  individual  retailer  to  permit  of  transportation  and 
delivery  without  the  intervention  of  the  jobber. 

3.  From  manufacturer  through  jobber  and  retailer  to  con- 
sumer. This  is  the  case  with  most  of  the  supplies  used  by  the 
general  public  and  a  great  many  supplies  used  by  business.  It 
is  used  for  all  cases  where  the  quantities  which  can  be  carried 
by  the  dealer  are  not  unusually  large  and  where  the  economic 
necessities  of  transportation  and  delivery  require  redistribu- 
tion of  the  product  within  territory  limitation  and  circum- 
scribed areas. 

4.  From  the  producer  through  commission  agent  to  the  re- 
tailer, or  jobber  and  retailer  before  reaching  the  consumer. 
This  is  the  case  with  a  large  amount  of  perishable  food  prod- 
ucts ;  it  is  the  case  with  products  which  do  not  reach  the  con- 
sumer until  they  have  been  subjected  to  further  manufactur- 
ing after  leaving  the  hands  of  the  original  producer.     It  is 


526  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

also  the  case  with  semi-fabricated  materials  of  all  kinds  re- 
quired in  small  quantities. 

Distributors  of  Product 

The  position  of  the  jobber  and  the  dealer  is  usually  under- 
stood in  all  lines  of  business  where  their  services  are  required 
and  there  is  little  necessity  for  comment  upon  this  except  that 
the  relative  strength  of  these  distributors  should  be  thoroughly 
determined  in  connection  with  the  product  to  be  advertised. 
It  has  frequently  been  found  that  while  it  was  wise  to  proceed 
through  both  jobbers  and  retailers  in  certain  territories,  the 
same  product  could  be  handled  direct  to  the  retailers  in  other 
territories.  It  has  also  been  found  in  many  cases  where  at- 
tempts have  been  made  to  estal^lish  direct  sales  with  the  re- 
tailers that  the  economic  value  of  the  jobber  made  it  necessary 
to  go  back  to  the  former  method  of  dealing  through  him.  In 
some  problems  which  the  advertising  man  will  have  to  face 
the  question  of  exclusive  jobbing  arrangements  and  exclusive 
retail  arrangements  will  become  important.  The  value  of  this 
method  will  depend  almost  altogether  upon  the  trade  habits  in 
the  field,  the  extent  of  the  buying  in  reference  to  population, 
and  the  association  of  the  buying  habit  in  the  people's  dealings 
with  the  retailer. 

Competitive  Status  of  Product 

Of  as  much  importance  as  the  other  items  is  the  competitive 
status  of  the  product  in  respect  to  quality,  attractix  eness.  and 
price.  The  exact  importance  of  these  three  items  varies 
greatly  with  the  character  of  the  product.  In  connection  with 
very  accurate  machine  tools  or  instruments,  a  reputation  for 
quality  is  the  strongest  sales  argument  which  can  l)c  used  and 
in  every  line  of  this  kind  there  are  organizations  today  whose 
position  in  the  field  has  been  made  on  that  basis.  With  articles 
going  to  the  general  public,  however,  the  competitive  status  as 


ORGANIZATION  AND  PRODUCT  527 

to  quality  means  the  competitive  status  as  to  quality  at  an  equal 
price.  And  in  many  cases  this  question  of  quality  develops 
into  one  of  attractiveness  in  connection  with  the  package,  so 
that  even  where  the  actual  products  in  competition  are  practi- 
cally equal  in  quality,  the  quality  suggested  by  the  method  of 
packing  and  the  character  of  the  package  have  been  sufficient 
to  differentiate  the  products  in  the  minds  of  the  public. 

Whichever  may  be  the  important  point,  all  three  items  should 
be  studied  by  the  advertising  man  who  is  planning  a  campaign 
and  he  should  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  status  of  the 
product  in  the  competitive  market  —  this  status  as  established 
in  the  actual  facts  of  manufacture  and  as  established  in  the 
minds  of  the  consumers. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

PURPOSE  OF  CAMPAIGN 

Establishing  Reputation 

Advertising  is  not  always  required  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
creasing the  sales  of  a  product,  although  that  must  be  the  final 
effect  of  the  advertising  if  it  does  its  work.  It  frequently 
happens  that  business  organizations  at  various  times  in  their 
careers  need  advertising  for  the  extension  of  values  along  more 
general  lines  in  connection  with  the  organization  and  its  mar- 
ket. Sometimes  it  is  necessary  to  forestall  difficulty  by  estab- 
lishing relations  of  confidence  with  the  public,  not  merely  in 
connection  with  the  product  but  in  connection  with  the  organ- 
ization itself.  It  is  frequently  necessary  to  find  other  uses 
for  a  product  and  impress  them  upon  the  consumer. 

In  the  last  ten  years  of  rapidly  increasing  activity  along 
industrial  lines,  many  concerns  which  have  started  and  gained 
a  considerable  amount  of  business  have  been  obliged  to  set 
themselves  at  work  to  devise  advertising  for  the  purpose  of  es- 
tablishing an  organization  reputation.  This  has  been  particu- 
larly the  case  with  organizations  making  a  number  of  products, 
where  the  sale  of  the  one  product  cannot  altogether  carrv  the 
sale  of  another  product,  but  where  an  established  organization's 
reputation  can  increase  the  sale  of  both.  It  is  obvious  that  the 
plan  of  action  will  materially  differ  if  this  is  to  be  the  central 
idea.  The  media  must  be  chosen  from  their  association  with 
reputable  matters ;  they  must  be  chosen  from  their  standing  and 
authority.  Every  piece  of  copy  and  every  piece  of  printed 
matter  must  be  selected  physically  with  the  same  idea  so  that 

528 


PURPOSE  OF  CAMPAIGN  5^9 

type,  border,  illustration,  the  text  of  articles  in  the  magazine  or 
publication,  and  the  whole  atmosphere  of  the  campaign  will 
intensify  the  suggestion  contained  in  the  copy. 

Extending  Organization  Values 

Allied  to  this  matter  of  estabhshing  reputation  is  that  of 
extending  the  value  of  the  organization  by  suggesting  not  so 
much  its  repute  but  the  individual  character  of  its  actions. 
This  point  of  view  has  been  necessary  in  a  number  of  cases 
where  it  is  difficult  for  the  consumer  to  be  able  to  determine 
from  the  appearance  or  general  survey  of  a  product,  the  value 
which  it  will  possess  for  his  purpose,  and  where  consequently 
the  discrimination  is  not  exercised  except  in  a  negative  way. 
There  are  many  products  which  to  all  appearances  may  be  made 
to  look  equally  good  with  a  50  per  cent  difference  in  cost.  In 
such  cases  the  only  hope  of  the  serious  manufacturer  is  to 
extend  his  organization  value  to  the  public  by  showing  the  care 
that  is  taken  in  giving  to  the  public  a  product  which  will  fulfill 
the  purposes  required  of  it  and  possess  a  value  equal  to  the 
price  which  is  asked  for  it.  The  plan  which  requires  this  point 
of  view  will  not  be  effective  particularly  as  to  media,  but  it 
will  be  thoroughly  effective  as  to  copy  and  illustration. 

Extending  Uses 

Where  an  organization  has  secured  as  much  business  as 
would  seem  to  be  reasonably  possible  under  the  usual  method 
of  consuming  the  product,  it  has  frequently  been  able  to  dis- 
cover new  uses  for  the  product  which  could  be  suggested  to 
the  general  public,  opening  up  new  lines  of  consumption  and 
consequently  new  lines  of  sale.  This  has,  in  fact,  been  one  of 
the  important  developments,  and  in  it  the  advertising  man  has 
had  a  considerable  share.  With  his  keen  appreciation  of  the 
value  of  the  new  thing,  the  new  idea,  the  new  suggestion,  he 
has  seized  upon  discoveries  of  the  manufacturer  as  opening  up 


530  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

the  way  for  an  additional  appeal  to  the  public  and  an  addi- 
tional value  in  his  work.  Sometimes  this  extension  of  use  has 
required  the  entry  into  different  advertising  fields  from  those 
required  by  the  original  problem ;  in  other  cases  it  has  meant  a 
rearrangement  of  the  old  advertising  methods  rather  than  an 
entirely  new  development.  In  any  case  the  choice  of  the  media 
is  subject  to  a  somewhat  different  consideration,  where  this  is 
the  purpose  of  the  campaign. 

Gaining  Distribution 

I'robably  a  considerable  number  of  advertising  campaigns 
which  are  undertaken,  particularly  by  young  concerns,  are  for 
the  purpose  of  gaining  a  larger  distribution  of  the  product, 
either  over  a  wider  area  or  more  intensively  over  the  area  pre- 
viously covered.  Where  distribution  is  required,  the  impor- 
tance of  the  distributor  must  be  very  carefully  considered. 
As  has  been  noted  many  times,  the  influence  of  the  distributor 
varies  with  the  character  of  the  product  but  is  never  insignifi- 
cant, and  in  many  cases  it  is  more  important  to  maintain  the 
good-will  of  the  distributor  than  it  is  to  inform  the  public. 
We  have  altogether  discarded  the  idea  which  was  extant  ten 
years  ago  that  it  was  unnecessary  to  pay  any  attention  to  the 
distributor  provided  the  public  was  reached.  We-  coined  a 
new  phrase  to  express  this  theory,  "  consumer  demand,"  and 
it  took  us  several  years  to  find  out  that  the  consumer  demand 
was  mostly  a  theory ;  that  in  practice  there  were  very  few 
products  upon  which  the  consumer  insisted  and  very  many  in 
regard  to  which  the  dealer  advised.  Nevertheless,  even  today 
we  are  in  the  habit  of  minimizing  the  importance  of  the  dealer 
and  putting  a  large  part  of  our  effort  and  attention  upon  the 
public  without  regard  to  the  character  of  the  product  or  the 
influence  of  the  dealer  in  opening  or  closing  the  channels  of 
distribution.  Where  we  desire  to  gain  distribution  through 
the  regular  channels,  the  particular  interests  of  the  jobber  and 


PURPOSE  OF  CAMPAIGN  531 

the  dealer  should  be  taken  into  consideration,  and  media 
should  be  used  in  which  they  are  vitally  interested  and  which 
are  most  serviceable  to  them.  The  character  of  the  product 
will  determine  whether  the  consumer  should  be  appealed  to,  but 
no  campaign  which  has  for  its  purpose  wider  distribution  can 
afford  to  neglect  the  appeal  to  the  dealer  and  a  complete  study 
of  those  periodicals  in  which  he  is  interested  and  those  lines 
of  advertising  which  he  uses. 

Increasing  Consumption 

This  case  is  quite  the  reverse  of  the  previous  case.  If  it  is 
desirable  that  we  should  attempt  to  increase  the  sale  of  an 
article  by  increasing  the  consumption  of  it  per  unit  of  popu- 
lation, then  the  energy  must  be  directed  towards  the  consumer. 
The  retailer  should  then  be  considered  to  the  degree  to  which 
the  increased  consumption  will  benefit  his  business  but  the  edu- 
cational work  must  be  done  with  the  consumer  and  the  cam- 
paign must  be  laid  out  for  that  purpose. 

Solidifying  Sales 

In  the  increasing  analysis  which  has  been  given  to  the  char- 
acter of  sales  work  and  the  factors  which  enter  into  its  effi- 
ciency, many  organizations  have  discovered  that  while  they 
were  steadily  increasing  their  business  the  mortality  of  ac- 
counts was  greater  than  it  should  be  and  it  was  necessary  to 
get  a  large  percentage  of  new  customers  each  year  in  order  to 
make  up  for  this  mortality  as  well  as  to  increase  the  output. 
Such  concerns  have  begun  to  use  advertising  as  a  means  of 
stabilizing  the  sales,  by  expressing  to  the  consumer  not  merely 
the  reasons  why  the  product  should  be  bought,  but  the  advan- 
tage of  its  continuous  use  and  the  care  and  uniformity  in  its 
preparation.  The  principal  effect  upon  the  advertising  opera- 
tion of  this  kind  of  purpose  in  the  campaign  is  its  effect  upon 
the  copy.     The  media  which  are  used  will  in  general  be  the 


532  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

same  as  those  employed  when  the  idea  is  to  increase  consump- 
tion, but  the  copy  will  be  worked  out  with  an  attempt  to  sta- 
bilize the  use  of  the  product  so  that  a  continuance  of  this 
use  may  be  secured  in  a  larger  percentage  of  individual  cases. 
This  means  a  play  upon  the  service  idea  in  advertising.  It  is 
the  idea  which  has  brought  into  being  a  lot  of  information 
designed  to  make  the  use  of  the  product  a  familiar  habit  so 
that  it  becomes  a  part  of  the  regular  process  of  life.  It  is  not 
concerned  so  much  with  stating  the  value  of  the  product  as  a 
thing  to  be  bought,  but  stating  the  service  which  can  be  secured 
from  the  use  of  the  product  and  emphasizing  that  in  a  great 
many  ways. 

Identifying  Trade-Mark 

The  use  of  advertising  to  such  a  degree  for  the  performance 
of  sales  work  has  brought  about  an  entirely  different  considera- 
tion of  the  trade-mark.  In  many  cases  where  trade-marks 
were  secured  before  advertising  became  an  important  part  of 
the  work,  it  has  been  found  that  the  trade-mark  is  a  tax  upon 
the  memory,  that  it  is  not  readily  distinguished  from  other 
trade-marks,  or  that  in  some  way  it  fails  to  perform  its  func- 
tion as  an  identification  of  the  manufacturer's  goods.  For  this 
reason  it  has  been  necessary  for  advertising  to  be  used  either 
to  establish  a  new  trade-mark  in  the  place  of  the  old  one,  or 
to  individualize  a  trade-mark  which  previously  did  not  give 
proper  identification,  even  to  suggest  to  the  public  the  pronun- 
ciation of  a  mark,  so  that  there  would  be  no  mistake.  In  such 
cases  the  purpose  of  the  advertising  campaign  is  somewhat 
different  from  any  that  have  gone  before.  It  is  not  concerned 
so  much  wntli  producing  educational  copy  through  suitable 
media,  nor  is  it  concerned  so  much  with  reaching  most  largely 
the  immediate  buyers  of  the  product.  It  is  rather  concerned 
with  reaching  the  largest  possible  number  of  consumers  of  the 
article,  with  instructions  which  will  enable  them  to  identify  the 


PURPOSE  OF  CAMPAIGN  533 

trade-mark,  with  suggestions  as  to  its  meaning,  and  with  indi- 
cations of  its  value.  This  purpose  of  the  campaign  will  affect 
very  intimately  the  choice  of  the  media,  the  use  of  printed 
matter,  and  the  character  of  the  copy.  It  must  be  considered 
as  a  part  of  the  central  planning  if  the  whole  operation  is  to  be 
co-ordinated  to  the  greatest  advantage. 

Familiarizing,  Educating,  Stimulating 

The  purpose  of  advertising  per  sc  is  to  increase  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  public  in  respect  to  a  particular  product,  organiza- 
tion, or  service,  so  that  the  effectiveness  of  any  one  of  these  will 
be  greater.  In  its  general  plan  of  action,  therefore,  it  must 
always  attempt  to  increase  the  familiarity  with  these  things  so 
that  they  may  become  a  part  of  the  life  of  the  business  man, 
the  farmer,  the  householder,  etc.  It  must  further  be  prepared 
to  educate  men  in  the  uses  of  its  product  and  in  how  to  get  most 
value  from  it.  In  addition  it  must  be  sufficiently  stimulating 
to  suggest  action,  at  least  to  a  sufficient  degree,  so  that  the 
effect  of  the  advertising  may  be  transmuted  into  buying.  The 
general  purpose  of  the  campaign  may  be  either  one  or  all  of 
these.  Their  relative  importance  in  connection  with  the  cam- 
paign must  be  determined  by  a  close  study  of  the  position  of  the 
business,  its  history,  the  distribution,  and  the  character  of  its 
product.  The  advertising  which  is  prepared  must  have  these 
things  in  mind  so  that  it  is  unconsciously  bent  towards  their 
development  and  so  that  there  is  no  break  in  the  successive 
steps.  Aluch  of  the  effectiveness  of  advertising  is  lost  because, 
while  the  media  have  been  more  or  less  carefully  chosen  in  con- 
nection with  their  individual  value  for  the  problem  in  hand,  and 
the  illustration  and  art  work  have  been  painstakingly  worked 
out,  the  assembled  pieces  of  advertising  do  not  represent  an 
orderly  progress  in  the  conception  of  a  central  idea  designed 
to  increase  the  familiarity  of  the  product  or  service,  to  extend 
the  knowledge  of  its  usefulness,  or  to  stimulate  the  desire  for  it. 


534  PHYSICAL  FACTORS  IN  ADVERTISING 

These  three  items,  in  fact,  sum  up  the  present  chapter. 
They  inchide,  if  they  are  properly  studied,  all  the  other  pur- 
poses for  which  an  advertising  campaign  may  be  started.  But 
further  than  this,  these  are  the  points  by  which  the  human 
interest  may  be  secured  and  maintained.  The  education  of  the 
public  in  the  use  of  the  product  is  made  possible  because  the 
product  is  becoming  a  familiar  one,  and  the  education  is  sug- 
gestive in  character.  Moreover,  the  advertising  is  interesting 
because  the  necessity  for  stimulation  demands  the  introduc- 
tion of  sentiment  or,  as  it  is  termed,  human  interest,  in  order 
to  supply  the  motor  impulse  which  will  act  upon  the  knowledge 
already  gained  about  a  familiar  thing.  This  w'hole  question 
of  the  purpose  of  the  advertising  campaign  is  one  which  has 
been  insufficiently  investigated  and  superficially  studied.  It  is 
worth  a  great  deal  of  the  student's  time  to  dip  into  a  good  many 
apparently  unrelated  matters  in  order  to  determine  how  the 
public  can  be  approached  to  accomplish  these  things  with  the 
least  possible  lost  motion  and  the  greatest  efficiency. 


PART  VI 
PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 

DETERMINING  WHAT  TO  SPEND 

General  Policy 

In  the  previous  chapters  in  this  book,  the  principles,  and  the 
detailed  application  of  those  principles  in  respect  to  each 
branch  of  the  advertising  field,  have  been  fully  considered. 
All  the  preparatory  work  has  been  determined,  upon  which  an 
advertising  campaign  must  be  projected  if  it  is  to  assume  the 
efficiency  compatible  with  present  knowledge  of  the  equipment 
and  the  requirements. 

The  application  of  the  principles  involved,  to  the  detailed 
operations  and  analysis  of  any  particular  branch  of  advertis- 
ing, is  a  somewhat  different  matter  from  the  correlation  of  all 
these  branches  in  the  working  out  of  a  general  campaign.  It 
is  necessary,  therefore,  to  go  beyond  the  work  which  has  been 
done  so  far  and  bring  these  matters  into  relation  with  each 
other  and  the  place  which  they  will  take  in  the  actual  planning 
and  operation  of  an  advertising  campaign  in  connection  with 
the  business. 

At  the  outset  it  should  be  understood  that  in  most  conditions 
in  actual  business  the  problem  presented  in  connection  with  the 
working  out  of  an  advertising  campaign  is  modified  by  the 
previous  traditions  of  the  business,  by  its  already  determined 
policy,  by  its  limitations  of  manufacture,  and  by  the  personal 
equation  which  enters  into  any  decision  of  an  important  char- 
acter. As  a  consequence  of  these  modifications,  the  problem 
in  practice  is  never  quite  so  simple  a  matter  as  the  hypothetical 
consideration  of  it,  where  many  factors  must  be  assumed. 

537 


538  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

Following  is  an  account  of  an  actual  campaign  which  was 
worked  out  in  connection  with  an  automobile  accessory.  Obvi- 
ously, in  a  case  of  this  kind,  it  is  impossible  to  give  the  actual 
figures,  but  these  are  unnecessary  to  show  the  way  in  which 
the  campaign  was  developed  and  the  way  in  which  the  use  of 
the  principles  in  connection  with  the  campaign  aided  in  secur- 
ing high  efiiciency.  The  figures  and  the  actual  conditions  of 
preliminary  investigation  will,  of  course,  vary  with  each  par- 
ticular business  and  the  circumstances  of  that  business.  Fur- 
thermore, the  conduct  of  the  campaign  itself  and  the  character 
of  its  operation  would  be  very  materially  changed  by  the  char- 
acter of  the  industry  and  by  the  one  of  the  three  following 
classes  into  which  it  falls : 

1.  Mail  order. 

2.  Technical  product  direct  to  consumer. 

3.  General  product,  going  through  dealer  or  jobber  and 

dealer. 

It  is  obvious  that  in  the  first  case,  the  mail  order,  the  adver- 
tising being  the  whole  operation,  no  consideration  of  any  other 
sales  problem  is  involved,  and  none  of  the  extensive  operations 
required  for  the  development  of  the  sales  organization  and  the 
aid  to  the  distributor  need  be  included  in  this  consideration. 

Furthermore,  the  effect  of  the  advertising  is  not  a  good-will 
matter  merely  or  an  influence  of  public  opinion,  but  is  a  sales- 
closing  proposition  in  which  each  advertisement  must  close  the 
business  and  close  it  at  the  proper  price.  These  limitations 
and  requirements  govern  the  investigation  of  the  operation  to 
such  an  extent  that  they  vary  materially  from  the  other  two. 
In  a  technical  product  —  that  is.  a  product  used  either  for 
occupational  purposes  or  in  connection  with  an  industry  where 
the  goods  are  sold  direct  to  the  consumer  and  to  one  technically 
expert  in  their  values  —  the  sales  conditions,  the  requirement 
of  tests  and  service,  and  the  elimination  of  distributors  govern 


DETERMINING  WHAT  TO  SPEND  539 

the  investigation  and  operation  to  the  automatic  hmitation  of 
the  number  of  avenues  to  be  used  and  the  character  of  the 
sales  argument  to  be  developed. 

The  case  which  will  be  considered  in  these  chapters  has  been 
taken  from  No.  3,  where  the  goods  go  through  the  distributors' 
hands  and  where  they  are  of  fairly  general  use.  This  has 
been  done  because  this  case  represents  the  most  frequent  and 
important  advertising  condition,  and  because  it  requires  the 
consideration  of  practically  all  avenues  of  publicity  and  organ- 
ization in  connection  with  the  work. 

Preliminary  Investigation 

Inasmuch  as  this  product  has  to  be  used  on  a  pleasure  or 
commercial  automobile,  motor  cycle,  or  motor  boat,  the  con- 
sumption statistics  were  secured  in  the  following  way : 

1.  From  a  development  of  the  number  of  motor  cars  in 

each  state  as  shown  in  the  registrations. 

2.  From  a  development  of  the  number  of  motor  cycles  in 

a  similar  way. 

3.  From  a  consideration  of  the  output  of  the  motor  boat 

factories  and  the  number  of  marine  motors  in  use, 
developed  through  the  registration  of  members  of 
various  motor  boat  clubs,  the  statistics  available  from 
factories  and  the  investigation  of  the  picked  localities. 

The  disposition  of  the  cars  in  accordance  with  the  branches 
of  the  company  was  shown  to  be  as  follows: 

New  York 27      per  cent 

New  England    15 

Philadelphia   14        " 

Norfolk    I 

Chicago   36 

Dallas    8     " 

Houston     6     " 

Oklahoma  City    4    " 


t 
540  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

Atlanta    2      per  cent 

El  Paso  2     " 

New  Orleans   i 

Denver    2 

The  subdivision  of  motor  cycles  and  of  motor  boats  was 
made  in  the  same  way  and  apportioned  to  each  branch. 

After  taking  the  number  of  cars,  motor  cycles,  and  motor 
boats,  a  careful  estimate  was  made  of  the  possible  yearly  sales 
volume  to  each  from  the  standpoint  of  money  value.  Then 
the  present  output  of  the  factory  was  taken  and  compared  with 
the  possible  volume  in  the  territory  in  each  branch.  It  was 
found  that  about  two  per  cent  of  the  business  generally  was 
being  secured  and  that  about  ten  per  cent  could  be  handled  by 
the  factory  working  at  its  fullest  capacity. 

A  further  analysis  was  then  made  by  taking  the  total  number 
of  cars,  motor  cycles,  and  motor  boats  in  the  territory  covered 
by  each  branch  and  developing  the  amount  in  money  repre- 
sented by  the  total  volume  of  sales  in  that  territory.  This 
amount  was  divided  by  the  total  area  in  square  miles,  so  that 
a  definite  volume  per  square  mile  of  total  business  in  the  com- 
modity was  secured.  This  illustrated  the  point  that  the  num- 
ber of  cars  in  some  of  the  agricultural  territories  was  so  small 
and  the  cars  themselves  so  widely  scattered  that  all  the  busi- 
ness required  to  bring  the  output  of  the  factories  up  to  its 
greatest  possible  capacity  could  be  secured  in  the  more  thickly 
settled  branches. 

Sales  efforts  in  connection  with  this  particular  automobile 
accessory  were  held  over  in  the  district  covered  by  four  of  the 
branches,  except  as  the  business  was  automatically  produced  as 
an  incident  of  the  sale  of  other  products. 

Competitive  Statistics 

A  careful  investigation  was  made  of  competitive  conditions, 
and  it  was  discovered  that  there  were  eight  principal  competi- 


DETERMINING  WHAT  TO  SPEND  541 

tors  engaged  in  practically  a  national  business.  Of  these  com- 
petitors the  largest  had  30  per  cent,  three  others  15  per  cent, 
one  10  per  cent,  two  5  per  cent,  the  lowest  of  the  eight  being  2 
per  cent,  and  the  rest  of  the  business  being  divided  among 
more  or  less  local  efiforts. 

Further  analysis  of  the  competitive  situation  showed : 

1.  That  the  largest  business  was  held  by  the  firm  whose 

product  was  most  extensively  and  thoroughly  adver- 
tised. 

2.  That  the  distributing  facilities  entered  very  considerably 

into  the  matter  of  sales  volume. 

3.  That  the  general  reputation  of  the  concern  and  prompt 

service  were  important  factors  as  well  as  the  quality 
of  the  goods. 

This  investigation  developed  also,  particularly  as  to  the  ad- 
vertising sales  policy : 

1.  That  those  competitors  who  had  secured  the  most  busi- 

ness protected  the  dealer,  instituted  some  sort  of  train- 
ing for  the  sales  force  and  used  a  satisfaction  guar- 
antee of  some  kind. 

2.  The  advertising  of  all  competitors  showed  the  use  of 

practically  the  same  arguments. 

3.  Very  little  effort  had  been  made  to  establish  individual- 

ity in  connection  with  the  value  of  the  product,  indi- 
.    viduality  having  been  derived  from  package,  trade- 
mark and  the  other  accessories. 

In  respect  to  the  product  itself,  this  investigation  showed 
that  the  output  of  a  number  of  the  largest  competitors  was  of 
practically  equal  value  from  a  technical  standpoint.  Further, 
that  a  large  proportion  of  the  material  was  sold  without  iden- 
tification to  the  ultimate  consumer,  and  the  dealer  influence  was 
consequently  very  great.     This  had  evidently  affected  prices, 


542  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

as  prices  were  by  no  means  standard,  and  there  was  not  only  a 
great  deal  of  fluctuation  but  a  great  deal  of  difference  between 
competitors  as  to  price. 

If  the  student  will  refer  to  Chapter  III  and  the  factors  which 
enter  into  preliminary  investigation  and  take  the  principles 
enunciated  in  that  chapter,  comparing  them  with  the  prelimi- 
nary investigation  as  stated,  he  will  find  illustrated  in  this  case 
the  advantage  and  the  value  in  the  application  of  the  prin- 
ciples considered  in  that  chapter. 

After  this  preliminary  investigation  had  been  concluded, 
the  necessary  step  to  be  taken  was  the  consideration  of  the 
sales  argument  and  atmosphere  to  go  behind  the  copy  and  the 
choice  of  media  to  be  used. 

Consumer  and  Dealer 

In  considering  the  sales  arguments  to  go  behind  the  copy, 
it  was  necessary  to  study  the  consumer  and  the  dealer.  Inves- 
tigation disclosed  the  fact  that  only  a  small  percentage  of  the 
consumers  actually  insisted  upon  securing  a  certain  brand  of 
material,  the  majority  of  them  evidently  being  influenced  more 
by  the  convenience  of  buying. 

Further  investigation  disclosed  the  fact  that  while  there  was 
a  good  market  for  a  high-priced  material,  such  as  was  being 
considered  in  this  campaign,  a  very  large  number  of  dealers 
were  buying  mainly  on  price,  with  the  exception  that  prompt 
service  on  delivery  was  of  considerable  importance. 

A  study  of  the  consumer  showed  that  there  were  about  lo 
to  12  per  cent  of  users  who  were  intimately  interested  in  every 
detail  in  the  running  of  the  car  or  boat,  to  such  an  extent  that 
every  item  which  entered  into  its  production  or  up-keep  was 
discussed  and  of  importance  to  them;  that  about  30  per  cent 
paid  considerable  attention  to  the  buying  of  supplies  and  equip- 
ment for  the  car  and  could  be  induced  to  insist  upon  one  item 
or  another  when  the  importance  of  the  item  could  be  suffi- 


DETERMINING  WHAT  TO  SPEND  543 

ciently  illustrated;  and  that  a  considerable  portion  of  the  users 
were  not  particularly  concerned  with  anything  in  the  way  of 
accessories,  so  long  as  the  car  ran  properly  and  the  charges 
were  not  unduly  large. 

Thus,  there  were  the  keen  lovers  of  motoring  or  motor 
boating  who,  either  from  necessity  or  pleasure,  demanded  the 
best  of  service  and  were  sufficiently  interested  in  that  demand 
to  investigate  the  requirements  of  such  service;  a  larger  pro- 
portion of  the  users  who,  while  enjoying  the  pleasure  and  being 
to  an  extent  interested  in  producing  the  best  service  out  of  the 
motor,  were  not  willing  to  study  to  any  great  extent  or  to 
wade  through  the  technical  matter  necessary  to  keep  up  with 
all  the  requirements ;  and  about  50  per  cent  who  were  only 
interested  in  the  car  as  a  convenience,  to  be  dismissed  from  the 
mind  so  long  as  it  fulfilled  its  purpose  without  any  serious 
mishap. 

Investigation  w'as  made  of  the  product  itself,  and  the  values 
which  the  manufacturing  end  of  the  business  placed  upon  it  in 
comparison  with  competitive  materials.  In  the  course  of  this 
investigation  two  outstanding  items  of  individuality  were 
brought  to  the  advertising  man's  attention,  which  indicated  the 
possibility  of  increasing  economy  by  the  use  of  the  material. 
Sufficient  tests  had  been  made  and  sufficient  testimony  received 
from  customers  amply  to  prove  this  condition.  From  the  in- 
vestigations and  consideration  of  the  matter,  it  was  decided 
that  the  sales  argument  should  have  the  following  funda- 
mental ideas  behind  it : 

1.  The  atmosphere  of  the  copy  should  indicate  the  addi- 

tion to  pleasure  to  be  secured  from  the  use  of  the 
motor. 

2.  The  copy  should  be  arranged  to  link  this  pleasure  with 

the  human  interest  of  the  motorist,  and  finally, 

3.  The  evidence  should  supply  the  argument  to  technically 

prove  the  claim. 


544  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

Students  should  consider  in  this  connection  the  early  chap- 
ters up  to  the  analysis  of  the  commodity  and  advertisements 
in  the  division  of  Psychological  Factors  in  Advertising. 

Choice  of  Media 

The  choice  of  the  media  for  this  campaign  was  considered 
on  the  basis  of  preliminary  investigation,  the  condition  of  the 
consumer,  and  the  type  of  sales  argument  to  be  employed. 

A  further  study  of  conditions  in  the  cursory  consideration 
of  the  matter  developed  that  the  number  of  motorists  was  only 
a  very  small  part  of  the  total  population,  that  the  individual 
class  motor  magazines  reached  only  a  very  small  percentage 
of  the  total  number  of  motorists,  and  that  these  motorists  in- 
cluded every  type  from  the  standpoint  of  reading  habits  and 
taste  and  other  type  divisions.  Street  cars  were  quickly  elimi- 
nated because  of  the  enormous  waste  attached  to  dealing  with 
so  large  a  percentage  of  the  population  to  secure  the  attention 
of  so  small  a  number,  with  the  additional  consideration  that 
except  in  the  larger  cities,  the  motorist  did  not  ride  frequently 
in  street  cars. 

The  number  of  branches  and  the  extent  of  sales  distribution 
already  secured  by  this  company  made  it  necessary  to  consider 
an  advertising  campaign  in  all  parts  of  the  company's  terri- 
tory in  order  to  agree  with  the  sales  work  and  organization. 

The  small  part  of  the  population  interested  in  this  particular 
commodity,  the  small  money  value  of  the  yearly  sale  to  the 
automobile  owner,  and  the  necessity  for  covering  much  ground 
with  a  small  possible  expenditure,  made  it  obvious  that  the 
backbone  of  the  campaign  would  have  to  be  those  territorially 
extensive  media  which  were  valuable  as  to  selection  of  readers. 
For  the  principal  periodical  media,  therefore,  the  general  maga- 
zines were  chosen,  along  with  the  magazines  specializing  on 
matters  connected  with  the  automobile  for  the  "  crank " 
motorist. 


DETERMINING  WHAT  TO  SPEND  545 

Circulation  Analysis 

The  choice  of  the  proper  number  of  magazines  and  the  ones 
individually  fitted  to  answer  the  purposes  of  this  campaign 
was  a  hard  matter,  owing  to  the  fact  that  there  was  practi- 
cally no  evidence  as  to  the  number  of  automobile  owners  in 
proportion  to  the  total  circulation  of  the  medium,  except  as 
the  amount  of  advertising  secured  along  automobile  lines 
could  be  considered  as  evidence.  This  evidence  was  not 
thought  satisfactory,  and,  after  a  number  of  ineffectual  at- 
tempts to  secure  some  kind  of  evidence  upon  which  the  expen- 
diture of  considerable  money  could  be  reasonably  predicated, 
out  of  a  number  of  general  magazines  offered,  a  choice  was 
made  of  about  twice  the  number  contemplated,  this  choice 
being  based  upon  the  editorial  policy,  the  circulation  policy,  and 
the  reports  from  the  company's  field  force. 

These  magazines  were  then  requested  to  send  into  the  adver- 
tiser's office  circulation  records  covering  fifteen  cities  of  sizes 
varying  from  50,000  to  200,000.  Altogether  about  five  hun- 
dred thousand  names  were  accumulated,  covering  cities  scat- 
tered from  the  East  to  the  Southwest.  These  names  were 
compared  by  trustworthy  men  in  each  locality  with  the  tax 
list,  the  city  license  list,  the  location  of  their  residence,  and  a 
recheck  from  the  storekeepers. 

Six  months  was  required  for  this  work,  but  at  the  end  of 
the  time  all  these  magazines  had  been  tested  through  a  suffi- 
cient proportion  of  circulation,  scattered  widely  enough  to 
give  an  average  of  the  percentage  of  automobile  public  to 
which  they  catered. 

The  conclusions  secured  from  this  investigation  were  as 
follows : 

1.  The  amount  of  automobile  advertising  was  not  an  exact 
indication  of  the  value  of  a  particular  medium  for  automobile 
audience. 

2.  The  circulation  of  interest,  that  is  the  circulation  going  to 


546 


PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 


automobile  owners  or  possible  owners,  was  not  by  any  means 
in  proportion  to  the  total  circulation  of  the  magazine.  In  one 
case  a  publication  having  400,000  circulation  at  a  cost  of  $400 
per  page  per  issue,  showed  an  automobile  audience  of  75,000, 
while  another  publication,  having  a  total  circulation  of  125,000, 
at  a  cost  of  $250  per  page  per  issue,  showed  a  total  of  100,000 
circulation  of  interest  to  a  man  selling  to  automobile  owners. 

CIRCULATION  DATA 


1  GOOD  LOCATION 

(WITH    MONEY   FOR 

LUXURIES  SUCH  AS 

AUTOMOBILESi 


«   MEDIUM  LOCATION 

.MOST    GENERAL 

ARTICLES    INVOLVING 

LESS    THAN    tSOO 

EXPENDITURE) 


Chart  A 


CIRCULATION  DATA 


MOO,    CXPCNOITUKC. 


Chart  B 


The  figures  were  entered  on  Chart  A  (shown  above),  and 
then  figured  out  in  reference  to  the  cost  of  the  magazine  page 
on  Chart  B.  From  these  charts  the  final  choice  of  the  maga- 
zine media  was  made. 

The  choice  of  the  other  media  and  the  conditions  governing 
the  amount  and  proportion  of  the  appropriation  allowed  them 
were  worked  out  by  investigation  in  varying  ways. 

Dealers'  Investigation 

One  thousand  dealers  w^ere  visited,  and  from  this  experience 
a  dealers'  book  was  gotten  up  w'hich  contained  all  the  adver- 


DETERMINING  WHAT  TO  SPEND  547 

tising  to  be  conducted  to  the  consumer,  and  in  certain  pul)lica- 
tions  having  dealer  circulation  the  consumer  advertising  w^as 
run  as  a  part  of  the  dealer  copy. 

It  was  felt  after  visiting  the  dealers  that  some  means  of 
identifying  the  dealer  and  tying  up  the  campaign  to  both  must 
be  found.  A  sign  for  the  front  of  the  dealer's  store  had  long 
been  used  in  similar  advertising  and  this  sign  was  made  a 
feature  of  the  copy  to  the  consumer  in  the  general  magazines, 
to  the  dealer  in  his  advertising,  and  to  the  salesman,  so  that 
all  legitimate  dealers  should  have  one  set  up. 

This  scheme  proved  to  be  efifectual  only  with  transient  or 
touring  motorists,  and  some  more  definite  system  was  wanted 
for  the  ordinary  case.  The  direct  mail  system  was  made 
available  for  the  dealer  in  order  to  get  the  full  effect.  Wher- 
ever the  dealer  began  to  stock  the  goods,  letters  were  sent  from 
him  to  all  the  automobile  owners  in  his  community,  calling 
attention  to  the  fact  and  requesting  them  to  have  their  needs 
filled  at  that  store. 

The  question  of  outdoor  advertising  came  in  for  a  good  deal 
of  attention  at  once,  because  of  the  outdoor  character  of  the 
proposition  and  the  many  opportunities  of  attracting  the  motor- 
ist at  the  time  of  his  use  of  the  machine.  Investigation  made 
by  driving  an  automobile  along  all  the  touring  routes  disclosed 
the  fact  that  there  was  a  great  deal  of  loss  of  attention  due  to 
the  location  of  many  signs.  All  locations  for  signs  were 
therefore  carefully  selected,  all  suggested  locations  being  re- 
fused unless  showing  head-on  to  the  road ;  while  many  of  the 
locations  obtained  were  situated  so  that  the  lamps  of  the  car 
would  sweep  the  board  at  night. 

Window  display,  printed  matter,  and  other  items  were  in- 
cluded in  the  campaign,  the  proportion  of  the  various  items 
being  as  follows : 

General  magazines     31   per  cent 

Outdoor    25     ". 


548  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

Trade  journal  12  per  cent 

Printed  matter   12  "  " 

Small  signs   6  " 

Direct  mail  for  dealer 7  "  " 

Window,  counter,  and  show  displays 7  "  " 

If  the  student  will  refer  to  Chapters  XXX,  XXXI,  and 
XXXII,  and  study  the  functions  of  the  media  as  given  therein, 
in  connection  with  the  campaign  so  far  considered,  the  appli- 
cation of  those  principles  will  be  very  apparent  in  the  investi- 
gations and  decisions  made  in  regard  to  the  equipment  in  this 
particular  case. 


CHAPTER  XL 

WRITING  THE  COPY  AND  CONSIDERING  THE 
RETURNS 

Copy  Material 

From  the  investigation  of  the  product,  which  had  been  made 
under  the  preHminary  work  of  analysis,  the  information  from 
the  manufacturing  and  sales  ends  of  the  business  was  accumu- 
lated in  the  following  way  for  the  advertising  to  the  consumer : 

1.  The  advantages  of  the  product  because  of  the  processes 

of  manufacture. 

2.  The  way  in  which  those  advantages  were  to  be  observed 

in  their  action  on  the  operation  of  the  car. 

3.  Tests  which  had  been  made  by  the  company's  engineers, 

the  results  obtained,  and  the  analysis  of  those  results. 

4.  Tests  which  had  been  made  by  other  engineers  and  the 

information  available  from  them. 

5.  Results  obtained  by  racing  drivers,  speed  boats,  aero- 

planes, and  the  Hke  in  contests,  the  opinions  of  the 
drivers,  the  conditions  under  which  each  of  the  con- 
tests were  staged,  and  the  service  required  of  the 
product  in  each  case. 

6.  Expressions  from  owners  of  all  kinds,  from  dealers  and 

manufacturers,  showing  the  results  obtained,  but  not 
necessarily  indicating  the  conditions  or  other  analyses. 

7.  The  principal  difficulties  of  the  owner  in  connection 

with  the  operation  of  similar  products  and  the  effect 
of  the  particular  commodity  in  each  case. 
549 


Put  a  motor  oil  to  the  supreme   test, 

use  in  winter  weather,  and  you  can  judge 

Well  of  it;i  quality.   It  will  break  down  then  if  ever. 

Many   fairly    good    oils    that    give    fairly    good 
service  in  summer  fail  utterly  under  the  extreme 

conditions  of  winter.    They  congeal,  grow  "lumpy,"  lose  their 

power  of  lubrication. 


m.^ 


is  not  a  fair  weather  oil.     It  gives     It  will  not  congeal  at  zero.     It  is 
as  good  service  in  winter  as  in  sum-     practically  unaffected  by  cold. 


mer.  It  gives  maximum  poti-er  with 
minimum  consumption  and  ivithou^ 
carbon  deposit. 

There  is  a  reason  for  this.  Texaco 
Motor  Oil  shows  a  zero  cold  test. 


Look  for  this  quality  when  you  buy. 
Buy  Texaco  and  you  won' t  look  far. 
Nearly  all  good  garages  and  supply 
shops  sell  Texaco  Motor  Oil  in  1 
and  5  gallon  cans.  Inquire  at  yours. 


For  abooklet,  ''Maintaining-  a  Motor  Car,*' 
that  may  help  you  with  some  of  your  motor 
troviblcs  and  that  will  enable  you  to  iilcntify 
any  car  you  meet  on  the  road,  address  Dept.  li, 
5  West  St.,  NewVort 

THE  TEXAS  COMPANY 

<hof,„:    NEW  YORK 

New  Orlcaui  P-jctlo 

Dallll  Tuf,i 

El  Piw 


HOUSTON        Br. 


teMabAi«dL.JU 


Consumer  comfort  advertising   (general  magazine) 


550 


Scarcely  A  Sound 

FEW  car  owners  realize  to  how  great  an  extent 
lubrication,  or  lack  of  lubrication,  affects  the 
operation  of  a  motor. 
No  matter  how  good  your  power  plant,  that  soft, 
almost  inaudible  purr  indicative  of  perfect  action  and 
maximum  power  may  only  be  obtained  through  the 
use  of  a  lubricant  of  the  highest  quality. 


fills  the  bill.  By  its  use  you  obtain 
maxinuim  power  from  a  quiet,  easy- 
running  motor.  You  get  an  oil  that  will 
never  deposit  a  hard  carbon  crust  on 
cylinder  walls  or  spark  plugs.  You  get 
an  oil  that  lubricates  perfectly  at  all  times 
on  account  of  a  zero  cold  test.      Lastly 


you  get  an  oil  that  will  reduce  your 
gasoline  consumption  anytvhero  from  fifteen 
to  thirty  per  cent. 

Test  these  statements  for  yourself.  You 
can  obtain  Texaco  Motor  Oil  at  most 
good  garages  and  supply  shops.  Sold 
in  1  and  5    gallon  cans. 


Write  us  for  booklet  "Maintaining-  a  Motor  Car  "  You  will  find  it  instructive  and  entertaining. 

Address  Dept.  C, 
i^^^hen  Tdurinrf, 

"    THE    TEXAS    COMPANY 

HOl'iTON  NEW  YORK 

hranth  Og,m: 

B,'Sion  Si.  I.ouis      N>w  Orleans       Puc-blo 

PhiliJsIpMi      Noriolk         n.illas  Tu'.>a 


»^^«P^ 


Consumer  convenience  advertisement  (general  magazine) 
551 


552  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

8.  The  climatic  differences  in  different  territories  and  the 

effect  of  such  matters  upon  the  operation  of  the  prod- 
uct in  question. 

9.  The  extent  to  which  the  motor  owner  discriminated  be- 

tween brands  in  buying  the  products  of  this  kind. 

For  the  advertising  to  the  dealer  the  points  were  arranged 
as  follows : 

1.  The  extent  of  the  delivery  facilities  of  the  organization. 

2.  The  advantage  in  profit  (if  any),  the  advantage  in  turn- 

over, and  the  advantage  in  other  custom  to  be  secured 
from  the  sale  of  this  product. 

3.  The  effect  of  the  sales  and  advertising  work  in  develop- 

ing the  right  use  and  advantage  of  the  product  to  the 
consumer. 
,  4.  The  value  of  the  service  to  the  dealer,  in  comparison 
with  the  efforts  put  out  by  competitors  in  the  same 
direction. 

When  these  matters  had  been  assembled,  reference  was  made 
to  the  human  interests  and  needs  such  as  have  been  indicated 
in  Chapters  V  and  VI  of  the  division  on  Psychological  Factors, 
and  the  copy  material  was  arranged  with  three  alternatives, 
which  are  shown  in  their  order  of  importance: 

1.  Results  showing  advantage  in  comfort  and  convenience. 

2.  Results  showing  an  advantage  in  economy  of  operation. 

3.  Results  showing  a  reduction  in  repair  requirements. 

For  the  dealer  the  copy  material  was  arranged  with  two 
alternatives,  which  are  shown  here  in  their  order  of  impor- 
tance : 

1.  Items  showing  direct  sales  advantages. 

2.  Items  showing  advantages  through  the  indirect  effect 

from  the  consumer. 


Thro+tl 
closed 
when   at 
this  point 


With  Texaco  Motor 


■Without 

Texaco 

Motor  Oil 


Reduces  Gasoline  Consumption  15%^**  31% 


YOUR  throttle  tells  the  story  of  gas  consumption  and  power    developed — tells  it 
truthfully  and  graphically.     When  your  motor  is  developing  full  power  the  throttle 
is  not  opened  so  wide  to  give  a  speed  of  say  twenty  miles  an  hour,  as  when  the 
motor  is  acting  poorly.     The  consumption  in  gasoline  is  not  as  great. 

Texaco  Motor  Oil  reduces  pasotlne  consumption  by  iticreashi^  po«er.  A  large  manufacturer  of  motor 
cars  (name  on  request)  conducted  several  tests  among  lubricaiits  competitive  with  Texaco  Motor  Oil. 
Tlie  oil  that  these  tests  proved  to  be  the  best  was  twice  tested  against  Texaco  with  the  following  re- 
sults in  favor  of  the  latter: 


Test  No.  1 

Decrease  in  gasoline  consumption  per  8  hours 
run,  3.21  gals.,  or  31.39(.. 

Decrease  in  lubricating  oil  consumptioix  per  8 
hours  run,  .313  gals.,  or  24^. 

Increase  in  miles  per  gallon  of  gasoline,  5.7, 
or  3170. 

Increase  in  miles  per  gallon  of  lubricating  oil, 
33.1  on  247c. 


Test  No.  2 

Reduction  in  gasoline  consumption  per  7  hours, 
5.187  gals.,  or  2'87«- 

Reduction  in  lubricating  oil  consumption  per 
1  hours,  .375  gals.,  or  337c. 

Reduction  in  gasoline  consumption  per  30  h.p. 
hours,  .741  gals,  or  287o. 

Reduction  in  lubricating  oil  consumption  per 
10  h.p.  hours,  .0537  gals.,  or  337o. 


Space  permits  us  to  give  here  the  results  of  only  these  two  tests.  Data  with  regard  to  others  will  be 
furnished  gladly  on  request. 

You  get  more  out  of  your  motor  in  the  way  of  power  and  put  less  into  it  in  the  way  of  gasoline  and 
oil  when  you  use  Texaco. 

Texaco  Motor  Oil  is  for  sale  in  1  and  5  gallon  cans  at  most  good  garages  and  supply  shops.  Ask  for 
it.  1-or  interesting  and  informative  booklet,  ^'Maintaining  a  Motor  Car,**  address  Dept.,  F,  Five 
West  St.,  N.  Y.  City. 


THE  TEXAS  COMPANY 


HOUSTON 


Consumer  economy  advertising   (general  magazine) 


553 


Read 
These 
Marked 
Paragraphs 


WhGnTourin^.Look  forThisSi^ii 


If  IN'DICA  IKS  iMilailinR  KJMKrs  "here  you  will  receive  courteous, 
crficicnt  M- r\  ice  .iiid  w  Ik':c  \nu  can  gel  Texaco  Motor  Oil.  It  blazes 
the  main  liinlmavs  from  Tamiw  to  Bangor;  from  New  York  to  Phill- 
ilelphia.  Clniago,  St.  Louis.  From  the  .Mississippi,  East,  it  acts.  M  l  trielldly, 
helpful  guide. 


MOTOR  OIL 


and  a  c"^  R^raftf  uiually  (to  togcihrr    When  during    long,    hard    rum   have 

you  find  one  you  find  ihe  other     For  (he  gan^e  miire  a>>i"tif  »f  cerhtn  accumolaitoi 

man  uho  has  the  iniereMt  of  hii  cuttomrn  at  lubtication  is  obtained  at  all  timet  i. 

hean  eivri  ihcm  the  heitof  cvcr>thine  reprd-  of  car. 

'"'  o'  '■"'''  »'  f^'-  Do   5.H.   <-«.■  ■!.«  r«ir   n,o.or  i 

Ttxjto  MoiorOil  (tivci  ■!«;«»».  >.K«r  a.7*  of  which  i<  ii  cipibltf     Try  1 
minimum  itniumptitn.       Many 
f  Of  Hl«  in  1  1 


I  conduard      find  < 
ram  ai  mott  r«o4  ca'acM  and  tup^y  Aoft      Tar  in- 
ktfi,  "Maintaminc  a  Motor  Car^',  addrc*  Dtfrt.  D 


Do  they  refer  to  your  garage .''      Is  the  efficient,  courteous  service, 
given  your  customers  advertised  to  75  out  of  every  100  car  owners 
in  this  country.' 
If  you  show  the  Texaco  Motor  Oil  sign  it  is.    If  you  don't,  it  isn't. 


Perhaps  you  haven't  realized  what  Texaco  advcaising  means 

to  the  dealer   who  carries   Texaco  Motor   Oil.      Read  this 

consumer  ad  and  you  will. 

I'hii  advertiiemcnt,    and  many  others  tike  it,  appears  tn  19 

leading  national  publications  having  a  combined  circulation  of 

Hvc  million  and  a  half  copies.   These  publications  reach  about 

75  per  cent  of  all  the  car  owners  in  the  country. 

This  treat  publicity  has  its  effect.      The  scene  shown  at  the 

top  of  the  advcrxisemcnt  is  true  to  life.     It  is  enacted  daily  by 


hundreds  of  car  owners  who  buy  where  they  find  a  TcJtaro 
Sign.  They  buy  because  the  parage  ifiat  carrtet  that  sign  has 
hem  advtrtued  to  them  and  they  have  confidence  in  it.  And 
they  don't  only  buy  oil.  They  buy  shoes,  ^tubcs.  gas,  etc. 
They  have  repair  work  to  be  done. 

Do  you  show  the  Texaco  Sien  ?  If  not  write  our  sales 
department  and  Icarn  more  about  Texaco  Dealer  Service. 
Address  Dcpt.   Four, 


THE    TEXAS    COMPANY 
WHITEHALL  NEW  YORK  CITY 


)l(M1r>n  PhilMlclphiia 


txf.cvTiiE  omccs, 

HOUSTON  .NEW  VORK 

Sm.VCH  OFFICES: 

nit'a  NorfolL  .^llanla  N>»  Orlrani 


Dealer  advertisement  for  consumer  tie-up 


554 


WRITING  THE  COPY  — THE  RETURNS  555 

The  copy  attached  to  this  chapter  will  illustrate  the  working 
out  of  some  of  these  arguments  in  both  cases. 

It  was  further  decided  that  a  consideration  of  the  psycho- 
logical features  involved  had  indicated  the  advantage  of  illus- 
tration to  such  an  extent  that  all  advertising  in  periodicals, 
whether  to  dealer  or  consumer,  should  be  illustrated  as  effec- 
tively as  possible. 

The  actual  writing  of  the  copy  and  the  making  of  the  layout 
were  governed  by  the  ideas  developed  from  the  consideration 
of  the  material  and  atmosphere  to  be  preserved. 

The  samples  of  the  copy  shown  should  be  used  by  the  stu- 
dent in  connection  with  the  chapters  on  "  Copy  "  and  "  Ar- 
rangement," as  they  will  indicate  the  result  of  a  practical  appli- 
cation of  the  principles  involved  in  the  considerations  in  these 
chapters,  and  it  will  be  possible  for  the  student  through  this 
study  to  determine  the  extent  to  which  they  have  fallen  short 
of  the  maximum  efficiency  which  should  be  reached.  The 
working  out,  in  practical  business,  of  the  laws  applicable  to 
human  affairs,  must  of  necessity  suffer  from  the  deficiencies  of 
the  workers,  and  there  are  points  in  each  of  these  advertise- 
ments which,  despite  the  care  and  investigation,  are  to  be 
counted  as  taking  away  from  the  ideal  operation  of  the  prin- 
ciples upon  which  they  are  based. 

Psychological  Investigation 

After  the  copy  was  written,  one  further  investigation  was 
made  before  the  material  was  used.  A  number  of  approved 
pieces  of  copy  were  tested  in  the  manner  described  in  Chapter 
XIII  in  the  division  on  Psychological  Factors.  The  copy 
finally  used  was  confined  to  those  pieces  which  had  shown 
approximately  the  same  results. 

In  order  to  check  this  in  the  working  out  of  the  campaign, 
the  copy  was  keyed  and  a  careful  analysis  made  of  the  replies 
on  a  form  similar  to  the  one  illustrated.     It  is  interesting  to 


556  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

observe  the  agreement  between  the  actual  results  obtained  and 
the  estimated  results  secured  from  the  investigation. 

These  practical  copy  results  therefore  bore  out  the  principles 
stated  in  the  chapters  mentioned,  and  form  additional  evidence 
of  the  necessity  for  the  investigation  outlined,  or  the  advan- 
tage of  the  estimate  in  advance  of  use. 

The  returns  from  the  copy  which  were  shown  on  the  chart 
illustrated  in  connection  with  the  investigation  of  the  copy, 
were  used  in  estimating  the  comparative  value  of  the  different 
magazines  in  comparison  with  Chart  B,  shown  in  the  previous 
chapter. 

Copy  Returns 

It  will  be  noted  that  in  Chart  B  the  estimated  value  of  the 
publications  from  the  analysis  of  circulation  undertaken,  was 
compared  with  the  total  circulation  and  the  cost  of  the  space, 
so  that  a  true  comparison  could  be  made  one  with  the  other. 

In  connection  with  Chart  C,  showing  the  returns  from  the 
copy,  the  replies  were  again  compared  with  the  cost  and  the 
circulation  of  interest  so  that  a  parallel  could  be  established 
with  the  earlier  results  exhibited  on  Chart  B.  In  general,  it 
was  found  that  the  results  were  according  to  expectations,  so 
that  the  value  of  the  earlier  investigation  was  borne  out;  there 
were  some  discrepancies,  but  these  were  traced  further,  with 
the  result  that  most  of  these  disappeared  under  a  development 
of  the  character  of  the  returns  which  separated  the  worthless 
inquiries  from  those  which  were  of  value  from  a  sales  stand- 
point. 

While  the  returns  from  the  copy  were  valuable  for  compara- 
tive purposes  in  considering  the  relation  of  the  different  pub- 
lications to  each  other,  they  were  entirely  insufficient  to  form  a 
basis  upon  which  the  value  of  the  campaign  as  a  whole  could  be 
predicated.  Moreover,  the  character  of  the  campaign  was  such 
that  the  advertising  was  not  expected  to  complete  the  sale,  but 


WRITING  THE  COPY  — THE  RETURNS 


557 


to  act  merely  to  arouse  interest  upon  the  part  of  the  consumer 
and  a  demand,  if  possible,  from  him  upon  the  dealer.  Con- 
sequently the  value  of  the  campaign  had  to  be  determined 
from  an  entirely  different  standpoint. 

The  purpose  of  the  campaign,  of  course,  was  to  increase  the 
sale  of  the  goods,  and  to  accumulate  new  dealers  through  whom 


ADVERTISING  CAMPAIGN-FISCAL  YEAR 


niBllCATiON 

NO    or  .NOUiR.es  us. no  COPY  AS  SHOWN  BELOW 

INOUIRILS  REC 

0 

NO  or 

ISSUES 

TOTAt 

COST  or 

AOV 

COST  PCR 

A 

B 

C 

0 

e 

F 

G 

H 

1 

J 

K 

L 

M 

N 

NOT  KEVCO  . 

n'n 

2 

3 

< 

6 

« 

, 

a 

9 

"•0 

,2 

TOT«l  NO 
INOU>niES 
AND  AVCRACC 
COST    PCR 
INOUiDT 

HO.  or  rssucs 

'  ACCORDING 
TO  COPT 

Chart  C 


such  sales  could  be  made.  The  success  of  the  campaign  de- 
pended, therefore,  upon  the  increase  in  the  total  volume  of  the 
sales,  the  number  of  new  customers  secured,  and  the  relative 
expense  at  which  that  had  been  accomplished. 

General  Returns 

In  other  words,  before  the  advertising  was  started  a  certain 
amount  of  material  had  been  sold  at  a  certain  sales  cost. 
When  the  expenditure  of  money  for  advertising  was  decided 
upon,  it  was  done  with  the  expectation  that  the  volume  of 
sales  would  be  increased  without  requiring  the  same  propor- 
tionate expenditure  of  money  to  accomplish  it.     To  illustrate 


558  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

this  by  hypothetical  figures,  suppose  the  original  sales  condi- 
tion before  advertising  was  as  follows  :  • 

Gross  revenue  from  sales $100,000.00 

Sales  expense  15,000.00 

Then  the  percentage  of  selling  expense  to  gross  revenue 
would  be  15  per  cent.  If,  then,  $40,000  is  appropriated  for 
advertising,  it  is  expected  that  the  expenditure  of  that  amount 
will  increase  the  sales  so  that  the  condition  will  read  as  follows: 

Gross  revenue  from  sales   $462,000.00 

Advertising  expense  40,000.00 

Sales    expense    30,000.00 

or  not  more  than  a  15  per  cent  relation. 

Of  course  the  proportion  of  selling  and  advertising  expense 
may  be  altered  —  this  will  depend  upon  the  particular  circum- 

ADVERTISING  CAMPAIGN 
SALES  OF  FROM  TO 


•*LIS  BY 

•T«TCS 

1 

JAN. 

FEB 

MAR. 

APRIL 

MAY 

JUNE 

ETC 

TOTAL 
SALCS 

NO     or  CABS 
IN  tACM  STATE 

YEARLY 
CONSUMPTION 

%  or 

CONSUMPTrON 

TOTAIS 

1                                      J 

COST  or  ADVcn- 

TISiNC  CACH  MO. 

TOTAL 

eo«T  or  »ovc«- 

TISINa    CACH 
OMIT 

AVCRACC 
COST 

Chart  D 


stances  of  the  proposition :  but  the  addition  of  the  advertising 
should  increase  the  business  sufficiently  to  keep  the  total  ex- 
pense of  selling  and  advertising  at  the  same  or  a  lower  per- 
centage on  the  total  revenue  than  the  condition  without  the 
advertising  showed.     Unless  it  does  this,  the  advertising  will 


WRITING  THE  COPY  — THE  RETURNS  559 

add  a  burden  of  extra  cost  to  each  unit  of  sale  and  conse- 
quently be  without  economic  justification. 

In  order  to  determine  this,  it  was  necessary  to  take  the  con- 
dition of  the  business  before  advertising  and  compare  it  with 
the  condition  at  the  end  of  the  campaign.  This  was  done  by 
the  use  of  the  following  methods : 

Chart  D.  On  this  chart  were  plotted  each  month  the  sales 
of  the  particular  product  and  this  amount  compared  with  the 
same  month  of  the  previous  year.  A  comparison  was  also 
made  with  the  amount  of  business  which  should  be  secured  in 
order  to  take  the  expected  proportion  of  the  total  consumption. 
These  figures  were  then  recapitulated  for  each  six  months 
and  yearly  period,  the  form  illustrated  showing  the  recapitula- 
tion for  the  first  six  months  of  the  year. 

It  will  be  noted  that  under  the  sales  for  each  month  is  a 
statement  of  the  advertising  expense  for  the  month,  and  the 
advertising  expense  per  unit  of  sale. 

This  shows  during  the  six  months'  period  the  progressive 
tendency  of  the  advertising  expense  on  each  unit  sold,  and  this 
tendency  to  be  correct  should  decline  during  the  earlier  part 
of  the  campaign  until  it  reaches  its  minimum  per  cent  and  its 
maximum  efficiency. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  Chart  E  was  filled  out  with  the  totals 
secured  from  the  charts  filled  out  under  D.  This  chart  shows 
the  comparison  of  the  gross  revenue  with  and  without  adver- 
tising, the  net  revenues  in  the  same  cases,  the  increase  in  the 
number  of  units  sold,  and  the  status  of  the  selling  cost  per 
unit  in  each  case  —  in  the  one  case  including  the  advertising. 

These  two  charts  give  an  excellent  survey  of  the  general 
value  of  the  advertising  as  built  up  over  the  period,  upon  the 
actual  sale  of  the  goods  and  the  proportionate  cost  of  selling 
them.  Something  further  is  needed  to  develop  the  exact  effect 
upon  the  number  of  distributors  carrying  the  product  and  the 
area  of  its  distribution. 


560  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

Comparison 

Gross  revenue  Fiscal  Year,  with  advertising ^ 

Gross  revenue  previous  Fiscal  Year,  w^ithout  adver- 
tising     


Increase     $ . 


Net  revenue  Fiscal  Year,  with  advertising ^ 

Net  revenue  previous  Fiscal  Year,  without  adver- 
tising     


Increase     $ . 


Total  number  sold  Fiscal  Year,  with  advertising... 
Total  number  sold  previous  Fiscal  Year,  without  ad- 
vertising     


Increase     $ . 

Cost  per  unit  selling,  without  advertising $. 

Cost  per  unit  selling  and  advertising  on   increased 
sale   


Decrease    $ . 


Chart  E 

Chart  F  supplies  the  information  for  each  branch  office, 
showing  graphically  the  number  of  new  dealers  secured  by  this 
work  and  the  way  in  which  the  work  of  the  selling  force  upon 
the  new  dealers  fluctuates  from  month  to  month. 

From  this  chart  a  combined  chart  was  made  at  the  end  of 
the  period,  showing  the  totals  for  all  branches  and  the  losses 
for  all  branches  from  the  monthly  return  through  failure  to 
secure  repeat  business. 

These  charts,  the  one  for  each  branch  and  the  one  for  the 
totals,  showed  the  additions  of  new  distributors,  the  losses 
due  to  failure  to  retain  their  customers,  and  the  net  gains  for 


WRITING  THE  COPY  — THE  RETURNS 


561 


each  territory ;  so  that  they  not  only  indicated  the  results  in 
general  through  the  work  of  the  combined  selling  and  adver- 
tising organization,  but  showed  at  a  glance  the  strong  and 
weak  territories  from  a  distributing  standpoint. 

By  comparison  with  the  total  consumption  figures  for  each 
branch,  further  figures  were  secured  showing  the  percentage 
of  distribution  in  proportion  to  the  total  possible  volume  of 
business,  and  therefore  another  angle  on  the  strength  or  weak- 
ness of  the  distributing  facilities. 

ADVERTISING    CAMPAIGN 
BRANCH  OFFICE  NO 


NEW  CUSTOMERS    BY    MONTH 
FISCAL  YEAR 


JULt 

.OCUST 

,,„,„,„ 

OCTO.CR 

NOVCMBER 

DCCCMBO 

«N0.1.. 

nanuA" 

MARCH 

APRIL 

MAV 

iUNC 

I  as 

2S 

Chart  F 


These  operations  have  necessarily  been  given  very  briefly 
and  without  the  minute  detail  which  had  to  be  gone  through  in 
every  part  in  order  to  bring  them  to  a  successful  conclusion. 
X"ot  all  of  them  apply  to  all  lines  of  business  by  any  means, 
nor  are  all  the  investigations  here  indicated  of  fundamental 
necessity  with  all  problems.  The  modifications,  however, 
which  arise  in  these  cases  are  similar  to  all  conditions  which 
surround  the  individual  application  of  recognized  principles  in 
any  business  operations.     They  are  the  things  which  can  only 


562  PLANNING  THE  CAMPAIGN 

be  acquired  when  the  student  has  forsaken  the  classroom  for 
the  business  office  and  transferred  his  preparatory  knowledge 
to  the  necessities  of  everyday  business  requirements.  When 
the  student  has  acquired  all  that  is  contained  in  the  chapters 
of  this  book,  he  will  undoubtedly  be  better  equipped  to  under- 
stand and  pursue  the  business  operations  which  must  measure 
his  success ;  but  the  intelligent  use  of  experience  and  the  appre- 
ciation of  the  necessity  of  experience  thoroughly  analyzed  is 
as  much  a  part  of  his  success  as  anything  else. 

The  text-book  is  the  point  of  departure  for  the  man  who 
desires  to  add  his  contribution  to  the  world's  scientific 
knowledge;  as  such  it  can  cover  only  what  has  been  discovered 
and  then  only  in  general  terms.  The  application  of  the  things 
already  known  and  the  definition  of  the  new  things  to  come 
depend  upon  the  student  himself,  his  analysis  of  the  princi- 
ples contained  in  the  written  knowledge  and  his  more  careful 
analysis  of  the  new  things  which  experience  will  bring  within 
his  ken. 


INDEX 


Abnormal     conditions,     need     for 

study  of,  45,  46 
Action,  stimulating,  169,  170 
Advantages    and    disadvantages    of 

newspaper  advertising,  451,  452 
Advertise,     original     meaning     of 

word,  51,  52 
Advertisement, 
attention  and  memory  devices,  115 
classification   of,  83 

classified,  83 

complete,  83 

publicity,  83 
classification   of,    psychological, 

long  circuit  appeal,  90 

rationalization  appeal,  90 
use  of,  90,  92 

reflex  appeal,  87 

short  circuit  appeal,  87 
color,  98,  99 
complete,  83 
contrast,  120 
form    and   arrangement,   98,    125, 

395,  398 
functions  of,  167 
illustrations,  103,  104 
intensity,  120 
motion,  120 
novelty,  122 
ornament  in,  366-379 
pictures  and  illustrations,  122,  123 
position  in  the  medium,  116,  117 

flat-publications,  117 

standard  form  publications,  116 
position  on  the  page,  117,  118 
pulling  power,  136-138 

measuring,  137,  138 


563 


repetition,  121 

size  of,  115,  116 

typography,     100-103     (See    also 

"Type"   and   "Typography") 
white  space,  1 18-120 

horizontal  shape  most  effective, 
119,  120 
words  of,  99,  100 
Advertisers    Association   of    Amer- 
ica, 421 
Advertising, 
advantages  and  disadvantages  of 

newspaper,  451,  452 
advertised        and        unadvertised 

brands,     comparative     strength 

of,  44 
agencies,  408-416 

advantages  of,  414 

departments  of,  410 

duties,  408 

evolution  of,  411 

functions  of,  409-411 

position  of,  in  field,  408 

service  department,  409-414 
classification  of,  412 
economical  distribution,  413 
rates,  412 
selling  ideas,  413 

specializing  of  copy,  411 

weaknesses,    415,    416 
an    economic    distribution    factor, 

1^18 
a  new  science,  300 
as  a  control,  14,  15 
as  a  missionary,  15,  16 
as  a  selling  force,  18,  19 
beginnings  of,  in  periodical  media, 

429 
bibliography  of,  145 


564 


INDEX 


Advertising  —  Continued 
.booklets,  517-519 
by  mail,  494-497 
campaign, 
planning  the,  537-562 
purpose  of,  528-534 
campaign,  analysis   of  an  unsuc- 
cessful, 142-145 
classes  of  copy  used  in,  142,  143 
tests  of  effects  of  copy,  143,  144 
wrong  emphasis,  144 
campaign,  analysis  of  a  successful, 

138-141 

conclusions  arrived  at,  140,  141 

illustrations,  139,  140 

text,  140 
censorship,  432-434 
community  needs  and,  69 
contracts,  436-438 
cost  per  unit  per  1,000  allowable, 

35.  36 
definition,  difficulty  of,  6,  7 
direct  appeal,  69 
early  problems  in,  4 
economic  effects  of,  20-22 
economic  use  of,  36-38 

greatest  with  specialized  goods, 
37,38 
editorial    policy    and    circulation, 

444.  445 
efficiency  of,  8,  9 

testing,  9,  10 
elements  of  display,  304-311.    (See 

also    "  Display,    functions    and 

elements  of  ") 
free,  value  of,  431 
functions  of.  14,  17,   18 
illustration  in,  354-365 
information   required    before,   38, 

39 
lack  of  censorship  in  newspaper, 

45^ 
laws   of   suggestion   employed   in, 

58.  59,  204-206,  231 
limitations  of,  7,  8 
manager.  401-408 

analytical  work,  404.  405 

artistic  perception,  403,  404 

duties,  407 


editorial  capacity,  402,  403 
executive  power,  405,  406 
literary  requirements,  402 
needs  of,  401 

response  to  public  appeal,  406 
where    most    frequent    failures 
occur,  405 
outdoor  and  other  forms,  256-258, 

468-493 
problems  confronting,  54-59 
commodity,    knowledge   of   the, 

56-58_ 
connections  between  commodity 

and  needs,  58.  59 
laws  of  suggestion,  58.  59 
market,  knowledge  of  the,  54,  56 
problems  when  lines  of  distribu- 
tion are  inadequate,  45 
psycho-economic  role  of,  49-59 
psychology  of,  49-59.  I45 
publications  supported  by,  418 
publisher's  place  in,  416-427 
Audit    Bureau    of    Circulations, 
421 
blank  forms.  423-427 
changed    relations    witli    adver- 
tiser, 421 
circulation    of    periodicals,    419, 

420 
defined,  442 
space  and  service,  418 
recent  growth  of,  5,  6 
relation    to    marketing    cost,    19- 

21 
signs,  469.  473 
store  cards,  513-515 
sworn  statements,  438,  439 
territorial    analysis,   439 
three    general    divisions    in   plan- 
ning, 40-42 
marketing,  41,  43 
production,  40,  41.  42 
sales  and  advertising  organiza- 
tion, 41,  42,  43,  44 
uneconomic  use,  36.  ^y 
unity,    the    final    test    in    display, 
390-398  (See  also  "Unity  —  the 
final  test  in  display") 
value  of,  to  consumer,  23 


INDEX 


565 


Advertising  — ■  Continued 

value  of,  to  manufacturer,  22 
window  displays,  512,  513 
Agencies,  advertising,  408-416  (See 
also    "Advertising,    agencies") 
Alternatives,    eliminating    in    copy, 

190-192 
Analysis  of, 
advertising  campaign,    successful, 

138-141 
advertising   campaign,   unsuccess- 
ful, 142-145 
circulation,  421,  439-444,  545,  546 
commodity,  56,  80-83 
Analytical      work      of     advertising 

manager,  404,  405 
Annual  needs,  characteristic,  60-62 
Appeals, 
emotional,  87,  214 

followed  by  logical,  90,  92 
long  circuit,  90 
rationalization,  90 

use  of,  90,  92 
reflex,  87 
short  circuit,  87 
Aptness  in  headlines,  283,  284 
Arousing  desire  by  copy,  168,  169 
Arrangement  of  advertisement,  98, 

125,  395,  398 
Art. 

some  misconceptions  of,  297-301 
what  it  really  is,  300-304 
Artistic    perception    of    advertising 

manager,  403,  404 
Association  of  American  Advertis- 
ers, 421 
Association    of    National    Advertis- 
ers, 421 
Associations, 

establishing,  93-104 
relative  force  of,  105 
Atmosphere  in  copy,  222,  240 
Attention  and  memory  devices,  115 
Attractive  packages  as  a  selling  fac- 
tor, 33 
Audience,  copy  as  affected  by,  259- 

275 
Audit   Bureau   of   Circulations,  421 
blank  forms  issued  by,  423-427 


B 


Backgrounds,  law  of,  351-353 
Balance  in  type  display,  327-332 

bi-symmetric,  328 

occult,  328 

solution  of  law  of,  329,  330 
Bates,  Arlo,  quoted,  152,  153  ' 
Beauty  in  art,  302 
Bibliography  of  advertising,   145 
Bill-boards  and  street  cars,  256-258 
Bill-posters'  association,  484,  487 
Binary  colors,  343 
Bi-symmetric  balance,  328 
Blank  space  in  advertisements,  326, 

327 
Booklets  and  other  printed  matter, 

517-519 
Borders  in  advertisements,  375-377 
Breakfast    food   advertisements, 

pulling  power  of,  82 
Brevity  in  headlines,  282 
Bulletins, 

illuminated,  489 
painted, 
advertising  by,  473-484 
character,  location  and  size  of, 

473,  477,  481 
contracts  for,  477 
designing,  478 
function  of,  478 
number  of  boards  and  location, 
value  of,  478 
Business  men,  copy  for,  260-261 


Calendars,  258 

Campaign, 
planning  the,  537-562 
purpose  of,  528-534 
educating,   533 
establishing  reputation,  528 
extending  uses,  529 
extending  values,  529 
familiarizing,  533 
gaining  distribution,  530 
identifying  trade-maijc,  532 
increasing   consumption,   531 


566 


INDEX 


Campaign  —  Continued 
purpose  of  —  Continued 
solidifying  sales,  531 
stimulating.  533 
Catalogue  as  salesman's  help,  21 
"  Catalogue  copy,"  172 
Censorship, 
lack"  of,    in    newspaper    advertis- 
ing, 452,  453 
of  advertising  pages,  432-434 
Circulation, 
analysis  of.  421,  439-444,  545,  546 
figures,  demand   for  check  upon, 

4-'i 
statements,   standardizing   reports 
of,  421 
Civilization  increases  wants,  63-66 
Classification  of, 
advertisements,  9:T,  (See  also  "  Ad- 
vertisement,  classification   of ") 
instincts.  70-74 
Classified     advertisement,    83,    254, 

255 
Class  publications,  256,  436 
Clearness, 
essential  in  advertising  copy,  158, 
161 
Coherence   in   copy,    176,    181,   240, 

241 
Coined  words,  236,  2^7  ■ 
Color,  340-353 
backgrounds,  law  of,  351-353 
definition  of  terms,  344-348 
hue,  346 
intensity,  347 
neutralizing,  348 
shades  and  tints,  345 
value,  347 
harmony,  348 
defined.  348 
"keying"  colors,  351 
likeness  and  contrast,  349-351 
source  and  nature,  341,  342 
spectrum  colors,  342-345 
binary.  343 

cheerfulness  of  yellow,  342 
gloom  of  purple.  344 
light    and    coolness    of    green, 
343,  344 


light  and  heat  of  orange,  343 

primary,   342 

restraint  and  coldness  of  blue, 

343 
warmth  of  red,  343 
Commodity, 
analysis  of  the,  80-92 
establishing       connections       with 

needs,  58,  59 
knowledge  of  the,  56-58 
Community  needs,  69 
Comparison  of  salesman's  and  ad- 
vertised statements,  15 
Competition  in  factory  output.  2?> 
Competitive       factors,      estimating, 

29 
Competitive  statistics.  540-542 
Competitive  status  of  product,  526, 

S27 
Complete  advertisement,  83 
Conciseness,    essential    quality,    162, 

163 
Condensation     of     text,     expansion 

and,  291,  294 
Confidence,  creating,  169,  445 
Connections      between      commodity 

and  needs,  58,  59 
Consumer, 
and  dealer, 

study   of,    in   considering   sales 

arguments,  54^-544 
value  of  advertising  to,  22,  23, 
542 
factors  governing  advertising  to, 

549 
requirements  of,  22 
value  of  advertising  to,  23 
Consumption, 
increasing,  531 
indicated  by  number,  strength,  and 

size  of  competitors.  42,  43 
of  factory  output,  26-28 

figured  in  zones,  26 
statistics   in   actual   practice,   539 
Contracts  for  advertising,  436-438 
Control,  advertising  as  a,  14.  15 
Copy, 
literary    and    artistic    aspects    of. 


INDEX 


567 


Copy  —  Continued 
poor,    enhanced    by   white   space, 
120 
Copy  as  affected  by  audience,  259- 

275 
for  business  men,  260,  261 
for  farmers,  265-267 

personal  point  of  view,  266 

reason  appeal,  265 
for  technical  men,  261,  263 

professional  copy,  263 
for  trade  papers,  264,  265 
for  women,  267-273 

bargains  and  premiums,  270 

publications,     different     classes 
of,  271,  273 

"  reason-why  "  copy,  270 
"  getting  across,"  259,  260 

class   characteristics,  260 
miscellaneous  copy  problems,  273, 

275 
Copy  as  affected  by  display, 

expansion    and    condensation    of 
text,  291,  294 
rules  for  condensing,  294 
factors  that  attract,  277,  278 
illustrations,  278 
reputation  of  firm,  278 
headlines,  281-287 
aptness,  283,  284 
brevity,  282 

interesting  nature,  285-287 
originality,  284 
specificness,  282,  283 
inquiry  copy,  279,  280 
mail-order  type,  279 
publicit}'  copy,  278,  279 
relative  importance  of  display  and 
text.  276,  277 
harmony,  276 
three  methods,  276 
specific, 
tying  up   display  lines  to  text, 

287,  289 
tying  up  text  with  illustrations, 

289,  291 
type  display,  280,  281 
Copy  as  affected  by  media,  245-258 
calendars,  258 


classification  of  media,  245 
class  publications,  256 
general   magazines   and   weeklies, 
255,  256 

long  life  of  advertisements,  255 
newspapers  —  classified  advertise- 
ments, 254,  255 
newspapers  —  department       store 
advertising,  248-253 

bargain  appeal,  250 

news  interest,  248-250 
newspapers — national     advertise- 
ments, 247,  248 

assertion,  248 

continuity  of  impression,  247 

display,  247 
newspapers  —  small   retail   stores, 

253 
human  interest,  253 
personality.  254 
programs,  258 
specializing,  411 

street   cars    and   bill-boards,   2^6- 
258 
copy  must  be  brief.  257 
valuable  as  stimulus,  257 
Copy,  human-interest,  203-222 
direct  appeals  to  senses,  208-210 

wrong  methods,  209 
dramatic  form,  215,  216 
monologue    and    dialogue,    215, 
216 
emotions,   direct   appeals   to,   214, 

215 

inspirational  type,  214 
how  suggestion  works,  204-206 

paraphrasing,    205 

words  and  acts  of  others,  205, 
206 
imitation,  211-214 

restraint,  213,  214 
purposes  and  methods,  203,  204 
sentiment  and  sentimentality,  216, 

218 
story  form,  216 
tact  and  good  taste,  210,  211 
when   appropriate,   206-208 

classification  of  articles,  207 

price  as  a  factor,  207 


568 


INDEX 


Copy,  nature  and  purpose  of  adver- 
tising, 149-166 

distinction   from  other   forms  of 
composition,  150,  151 
expression  and  impression,  151, 

152 
use  of  good  English.  151,  152 

essential  qualities  of,  158-166 
clearness,  158,  161 
conciseness,  162,  163 
correctness,  161,  162 
distinctiveness,  163-166 
economy,  158-163 

relation  to  other  parts  of  adver- 
tising. 149,  150 

relation  to  personal  selling.  157 
adjusting  to  the  mass,  158 

style  in,  152,  153 

suitability      to      occasion,      153- 

157 
Copy,  reason-why,   187-202 
atmosphere,  222 
choice,  narrowing  the,  192 
deductive  reasoning,  196,  197,  200 

dangers  of,  197 
eliminating  alternatives,  190-192 

"  substitute  "  copy,  191 
evidence,  194 

experience  and  knowledge,   194 

record,   196 

testimony,  194 
inductive  appeal,  200 
nature  of,  187 
negative  appeals,  218 
point  of  view,  201 

"  you  "  attitude,  201 
"  predicament  "  method,   190 
process  of  deliberation,  188-190 
style  and  tone,  201,  202 

argumentative  copy,  201 

long  advertisements,  202 

persuasive  copy,  201,  202 
uses  of.  187,  188 

classification,  188 
Copy  service  of  technical  journals. 

465 
Copy,  smaller  units  of  advertising, 
223-244 
adaptation  to  reader,  226 


sectional  and  class  differences, 

226 
atmosphere,  234,  236 
coherence,  240,  241 

balanced  sentence,  240 

co-ordination,  240,  241 

parallel  construction,  240 
coined  words,  236,  237 
emphasis,  241,  242 

climax,  242 

periodic  sentence,  242 
exactness,  226,  229,  231 

figurative  language,  229 
good  use,  224,  225 
paragraphs,  242-244 

principles  of,  243 
sentence  unity,  237-240 

idioms,  237 

pedantic  phrases,  238 

short  sentences,  239 
sound,  231,  232 
suggestion.  231 
technique  in  advertising,  223 
tone-color,  232-234 
Copy,  structural  principles  of,  167- 

186 
arousing  desire,  168,  169 

"  talking-points,"    169 
attraction,  167,  168 
coherence,  176,  181,  240,  241 

climactic  order,  177 

connectives,  181 

descriptive  order,   177 

narrative  order,  177 
creating  confidence,  169 
emphasis,   183-186,  241,  242,  337- 
340 

display,  183,  184 

proportion,  184 
functions        of        advertisement. 

167 
stimulating  action,  169,  170 
unity,   170-176    (See  also  "Unity 

in  copy") 
Copy,  writing  the.  and  considering 

returns,  549-562 
consumer,    factors  governing  ad- 
vertising to.  549 
copy  returns.  556,  557 


INDEX 


569 


Copy  —  Continued 
dealer,   factors   governing  adver- 
tising to,  552 
general  returns,  557-562 
material,  549,  552,  555 

arrangement,  552 
psychological   investigation    555 
Correctness,    essential    quality,    161, 

163 
Curiosity,  instinct  of,  71 

D 
Dealer, 
direct  sales  to,  525 
economic  effect  of  advertising  on, 

21,  22 
factors  governing  advertising  to, 

552 
house  organ  for,  500-502 
manufacturer's  aids  to,  510-519 
study  of,  in  considering  sales  ar- 
guments, 542-544 
value  of  advertising  to,  22,  23,  542 
Decoration    contrasted    with    orna- 
ment, 307,  366-369 
Decorative  illu'stration,  360 
Deductive  reasoning.  196,   197.  200 
Definiteness  of  the  printed  word,  15 
Definition,  difficulty  of,  6,  7 
Deliberation,  process  of,  188-190 
Demonstrations    and    samples,    515- 

517 
Department  store  advertising,  248- 

253 
Determining  what  to  spend,  537-548 
circulation  analysis,  545 
competitive  statistics,  540-542 
consumer  and  dealer,  542-544 

final  analysis,  543 

sales  arguments.  542 
dealer's  investigation,  546-548 

media,     apportionment     among, 
547,  548 
general  policy,  537-539 

classification   of   campaign   fac- 
tors. 538 
media,  choice  of,  544 
preliminary  investigation,  539,  540 

consumption  statistics,  539 


Developing  territory,  25 
Dialect  Notes,  quoted,  128 
Direct  appeal,  69,  73 

to  emotions,  214,  215 

to  senses,  208-210 
Display, 

copy  as  affected  by,  183,  184,  276- 

294 
lines,  tying  up  to  text,  287,  289 
relative   importance  of  text  and, 

276-277,  287 
Display,  functions  and  elements  of, 

297-313 
art,  some  misconceptions  of,  297- 

301 
definition,  297 
elements    of    advertising,   304-311 

color,  305 

decoration    and    ornamentation 
compared,  307,  366-369 

fitness  in  decoration,  307 

form,  importance  of,  310,  311 

illustration,  306 

ornament,  307,  308 

texture,  309.  310 

type,  308.  309 
use  of  display,  311-313 
what  art  really  is,  300-304 
Distances,  law  of,  325 
Distinctiveness,     essential      quality. 

163-166 
Distribution,  advertising  a  part  of, 

51 
gaining,  530 

of  products,  16-17,  24-26,  525,  530 
present-day  conditions  may  mod- 
ify, 46 
Dramatic  form  of  copy-writing,  215, 

216 
Duties, 
of  advertising  agencies,  408 
of  advertising  manager,  407 


Early  problems,  4 
Economic, 
distribution  factor,  16-18 


570 


INDEX 


Economic  —  Continued 
effects  of  advertising,  20 

on  dealer  and  jobber,  21.  22 
necessity   of    form   and   arrange- 
ment, 395,  398 
use  of  advertising,  36-38 
greatest  with  specialized  goods, 
37,38 
Economy, 
essential  quality  of  copy,  158-163 
of  advertising  over  salesmen,   16 
Editorial, 
capacity  of   advertising  manager, 

402,  403 
policy  and  circulation,  444,  445 
Efficiency  of  advertising,  8,  9 

testing,  Q.  ID 
Electric  signs,  489,  493 
Elements     of     advertising     display, 
304-311      (See     also     "Display, 
functions  and  elements  of) 
Elements  of  unity, 
selection  of,  394 
Emotional  appeals,  87,  214 

followed  by  logical,  90,  92 
Emotions,  cliief  human,  70-79  (See 
also   "Instincts  and  emotions") 
direct  appeals  to,  214,  215 
suggestive    list   of    instincts    and, 

74-77 
Emphasis  in  copy,  183-186,  241,  242, 

337-340 
through  color  or  tone,  338 
through  contrast,  338 
through  shape  change,  :i37 
through  type  change,  337 
Employees,  house  organ  for,  499 
English,  use  of  good,  in  copy  writ- 
ing,  151,  152 
Establishing  associations,  93-104 
Estimating  competitive  factors,  29 
Euphony,  rules  of,  99-100 
I-",vidence  in  "reason-why"  copy,  194 
Evolution  of  instincts.  62-66 
Exactness  in  copy,  226,  229,  231 
Executive    powers     of     advertising 

manager,  405,  406 
Expansion      and     condensation     of 
text,  291,  294 


Factors   on   which   advertising   de- 
pends, 24-46 
Factors  that  attract,  277,  278 
Factory, 
advertising    in    relation    to    sales 

organization,  25 
advertising  value  of  package,  a 
consumption  of  output,  26-28 
square-mile  basis  of,  28,  29 
unit  basis  of,  28,  29 
developing  territory,  25 
economic   use  of  advertising,  36, 

37 
greatest  with  specialized  goods, 
37.38 

estimating  competitive  factors,  29 

ideal  trade  conditions  for,  25,  26 

individual  purchase  as  index  of 
sales,  34 

information  needed  before  adver- 
tising. 38,  39 

marketing  in  relation  to  compe- 
tition and  consumption,  41 

marketing  product,  bearing  of 
prices  on,  30,  31 

market  requirements,  analysis  of, 
38,  93 

number  of  annual  individual  pur- 
chases of  product.  35 

organization  and  output,  24-26 

packages  as  a  factor  in  disposing 
of  output.  31-33 

prices,  bearing  of,  on  market,  30, 

31 

production  in  relation  to  compe- 
tition and  consumption.  40.  41 

sales  and  advertising  organiza- 
tion, 41,  42 

size  of  package  as  factor  in  sales, 

.34.  35 

staples,  when  advertising  does  not 
affect  sales,  36,  37 

three  general  divisions  in  plan- 
ning advertising,  40-42 

uneconomic  advertising,  36,  37 

unit  system  of  advertising,  35, 
36 


INDEX 


571 


Farmers, 

copy  for,  265-267 
Farm  journals,  434 
Feeling-tone, 
law  of,  96,  97 
sources,  103,  104 
Field  and   functions  of  magazines, 

457.458 
Fitness  in  decoration,  307 
Foreign     requiijements     for    trade- 
marks, 508,  509 
Form    and    arrangement   of   adver- 
tisement. 98,   125,  395,  398 
Form,  principles  of,  314-340 
balance,  2i^']-'S2)'2 
bi  symmetric.  328 
law  of.  solution,  329,  330 
occult,  328 
emphasis,  337-340 
through  change  in  shape,  337 
through  change  of  type,  337 
through  color  or  tone,  338 
through  contrast,  338 
importance  and  meaning,  314 
movement,  332-336 
defined,  334 
how  obtained,  334 
principle  of,  332 
rhythmic,  335,  336 
structural,  335 
shapes  and  sizes,  consistent,  321, 
327 
balance  and  optical  center,  325 
blank  space,  2,2^,  327 
law  of  distances,  325 
law  of  optics,  325 
mechanical  divisions,  avoidance 

of,  2>2i 
proportion.  Greek  law  of,  326 
structural   unity,    consistent,   316- 

321 

foundation,  320 

paragraph  indentation,  318 
Forms   issued  by  Audit  Bureau  of 

Circulations,  423-427 
"  Forward  associations,"  94 
Frohman,  Daniel,  quoted,  108 
Functions  of, 
advertising,  14,  17,  18 


advertising  agencies,  409-411 
display,  311-313 
illustration,  355-358,  363-365 
the  newspaper,  448,  449 
Fusion,  law  of,  97 
applied  to  advertisements,  97-104 

color,  98.  99 

form  and  arrangement,  98 

illustrations,  103,  104 

typography,  100-103 

words,  99,  100 


General    magazines,    255,    256,    434, 

455 
"  Getting  across,"  259-260 
Good  usage  in  writing  copy,  224 
Greek  law  of  proportion,  326 


H 


Hand-made  type,  384 
Harmony  in  color,  348-351 
Head  lines,  281-287 

aptness,  283,  284 

brevity,  282 

interesting  nature,  285-287 

originality,  284 

specificness,  282,  283 
Head  pieces  as  ornament,  379 
Historic    and    modern     type,    384- 

387 
History  of  advertising,  3-5 

early  problems,  4 
History  of  periodical  media,  428 
Horizontal    shapes    in    advertising, 

117 
House  organ, 

advertising  medium,  497-502 
element  of   continuity   supplied 
by,  497,  498 

for  all  employees,  499 

for  sales  force,  500 

for  the  dealers,  500-502 

functions  of,  498 

purpose  of,  498 


572 


INDEX 


Human   instincts,   needs,   and  emo- 
tions,   70-79,     ( See    also    "  In- 
stincts and  emotions") 
Human-interest  copy,  203-222 

when  appropriate.  206-208 
Human  nature,  laws  of,  134,  135 
Human  needs, 

advertiser  should  study,  66-69 

of  civilized  men,  63-66 

original,  60-69 


I 


Ideal  trade  conditions   for  factory, 

25,  26 
Ideas,     sequence    of,     necessity    of 

proper,  95,  96 
Illustration,  354-36s 
decorative,  360 
functions  of,  355-358 

congruity  between  text  and,  356 
naturalistic,  definition  of  358 
place  in  advertising,  354,  355 
relation    to    other    elements,   360- 

sources  of  feeling-tone,  103,  104 
space  devoted  to,  361 
summary  of  functions,  363-365 

atmosphere,  363,  365 

general  appeal,  363 

human  appeal,  363 

suggestion,   363 
tying  up  text  witli,  289,  291 
use    of    psychology    in    study   of, 

135 
Imitation,  211-214 
Impression, 
securing  permanence  of,    122-125 
securing  vividness  of,   115-121 
Individual  purcliase, 
as  index  in  factory  sales,  34 
mniiher  per  j'car,  35 
Inductive  appeal,  200 
Information  required  before  adver- 
tising, 38,  39 
Initials  in  ornamentation,  ;^7y 
relation  to  other  type,  388 
Inquiry  copy,  279,  280 


Instincts  and  emotions, 
chief  human,  70-79 

classification  of,  70-74 
curiosity,  71 
individual,  74 
racial,  74 
relative  strength  of  interests  and, 

77-79 
social,  74 

special  human,  70,  71 
suggestive  list  of,  74-77 
Interest, 
devices  to  retain,  122-125 

arrangement,  125 

color,  123 

comic  situations,  125 

novelty,  122 

pictures    and    illustrations,    122, 
123 
relative  strength  of  instincts  and, 

77-79 
Iron   Age,    as   technical    and   trade 

journal,  463,  464 
Italics,  use  and  abuse  of,  386,  387 


Jewelry      advertisements,      pulling 

power  of,  S^ 
Jobber, 

dealing  through,  525 

economic    effects    of    advertising 

on,  21,  22 
value  of  advertising  to,  23 


Laboratory  method,  practical  tests, 

135 
Law  of, 

sequence,  94-96 

contiguity,  93,  94 

feeling  tone,  96,  97 

fusion,  97,  98 

sequence,  94-96 

suggestion,  ill 
Legal      requirements      for      trade- 
marks, 507 
Letters,  advertising  media,  494-490 


INDEX 


573 


Lewis,  George  L.,  quoted,  517 
Limitations, 

general,  78 

value  of   periodical  media,  429 

of  advertising  as  a  direct  selling 
force,  19 
Line  meanings,  380-383 

curved  lines,  381-383 

motion  and  rest,  380 

straight  lines,  380 
List  of  instincts  and  emotions,  74~ 

Literary   requirements   of   advertis- 
ing manager,  402 
Long  circuit  appeals,  90 


M 


Magazines   and    weeklies,   255,   256, 

434.  455 
Magazines,     technical     and     trade 

journals,  455-467 
field  and  functions,  457,  458 
general  magazines,  455,  456 

origin  of,  455,  456 

value  as  a  medium,  457 
technical  journals,  463-465 

and  trade  journals,  comparison 
of,  463,  464 

copy  service.  465 

editorial  staff,   development  of, 

465  _ 
functions  of,  463 
Iron  Age,  unique  functions  of, 

463 

special  service,  466 

value  as  media,  464,  465 
trade  journals,  461-463 

defined,  461 

inrtuence  of,  462 

value   as   media,  463 
women's  publications,  458-461 

functions  of,  459 

value  as  media,  459 
Mail,  direct, 

advertising   medium,    494-497 

functions  of,  494-496 

house    organs.     497-502,     (See 
also  "  House  organ  ") 


printed  matter,  496,  497 

form  and  typography  of,  496, 

497 
sales  letter,  494 
efficiency  of,  495 
long  and  short  letters,  495 
visualization  of  customer,  496 
Mail-order, 
advertising,  14 
selling,  18 
Making  associations  dynamic,    105- 

114  ^         _ 

Manufacturer's     aids     to     dealers, 
S10-519 
booklets  and   other  printed  mat- 
ter, 517-519 
causes  of  waste,  518 
demonstrations  and  samples,  515- 

517 
general  purpose,  510-512 

limitations,  511 
store  cards,  513-515 

Printer's  Ink,  quoted,  514 
window  displays,  512.  513 
growing  expense  of,  512 
Manufacturer,  value  of  advertising 

to,  22 
Market, 
knowledge  of,  54,  56 
requirements,   analysis   of,   38,   39 
Marketing, 
changes  in,  caused  by  advertising, 

10,   II 
cost,    relation    of    advertising    to, 

19-21 
factory  product,  bearing  of  prices 

on,  30.  31 
in    relation    to    competition    and 

consumption.  41 
packages  as  factor  in,  31-33 
when  lines  of  distribution  are  in- 
adequate, 45 
Mass   appeal    of    advertising,   value 

of,  20 
Media, 
choice  of.  544 
specializing  of  copy  for,  411 
Medium,  copy  as  affected  by,  245- 

2S8 


574 


INDEX 


Memory  devices,  attention  and,  iiS 
Miscellaneous    copy    problems,    273, 

275 
Missionary  value  of  advertising,  15, 

16 
Monopoly  control  of  production,  44, 

45 
Movement,  332-336 

definition,  334 

how  obtained,  334 

principle  of,  332 

rhythmical,   335,   336 

structural,  335 
Mulhall  table  of  repetitions,  127 


N 


Nail  advertisements,  pulling  power 

of,  81 
National  advertising,  246-248 
Naturalistic    illustration,    358 
Needs, 
characteristic  animal,  60-62 
chief    human,    70-79,     (See    also 

"Instincts  and  emotions") 
community,  69 
of  civilized  men,  63-66 

advertiser  can  appeal  to,  66-69 
of  human  beings, 

original,  60-69 
of  primitive  men,  62,  63 
Negative  appeals,  218 
Newspapers, 
advantages      and      disadvantages, 

451.  452 

classified  advertisements,  254,  255 

department       store       advertising, 
248-253 

function  of,  448,  449 
as  an  index  to  community,  449 
classes  and  types  of  readers  de- 
fined, 449 

lack    of    advertising    censorship, 

452.  453 

national    advertisements,    246-248 
rates,  lack  of   standardization   in, 

453.  454 

service,  local  prestige,  448-454 


small    retail    stores    advertising, 

253.  254 
types  of  readers,  449-451 


O 


Occult  balance,  328 

"  Optics,  law  of,"  325 

Organization  and  product,  24-26, 
520-527  (See  also  "Sales  or- 
ganization," and  "Product") 

Originality  in  headlines,  284 

Original  meaning  of  word,  "  adver- 
tise," 51,  52 

Ornament,  366-379 
borders  as,  375-377 
functions  of.  375,  376 
when  ineffective,  376 
decoration   contrasted    with,   366- 

369 
decoration  defined,  366 
definition  of,  366 
head  and  tail  pieces,  379 
historic,  372-375 

art  period,  373 

Gothic  period,  373,  374 

Greek  period,  374 
initials  and  other  applications,  377 
sources   of,    369-372 

abstract,  372 

conventional,  372 

naturalistic,  369 
Ornamentation.  307,  366-369 
Outdoor    and    other    forms    of    ad- 
vertising. 256-258,  468-493 
bill-posters'  association,  484,  487 

legal  regulation  in  Europe,  487 

standardization  of  field,  484 
bulletins,  473-484.  489 

illuminated,  489 

painted.  473,  477,  478 
electric  signs,  489,  493 
history  of,  468 

signs,  ancient,  468 
posters.  488 

illuminated,  4S9 
signs, 

functions  of,  469,  473 

influence  of,  469,  473 


INDEX 


575 


Outdoor    and   other   forms   of   ad- 
vertising —  Continued 
values,  473-484 
design.  478 
location,  477,  481 
Output, 
consumption  of  factory,  26-28 
factory  organization  and,  24-26 


Package, 

advertising  value  of,  33 

as    factor    in    marketing    factory 
output,  31-33 

size  of,  as  factor  in  sales,  34,  35 
Paragraphs,  242-244 
Periodical  media,  428-447 

advertising  policy  and  circulation, 

445,  446 
necessity     for    inspiring    confi- 
dence, 445 
censorship    of    advertising   pages, 

432-434 
early  fake  advertising,  432  , 
inconsistency     of      new^spapers, 

433 

mutual  efforts.  433 
circulation,  419-421,  438,  446,  545, 

546 
contracts,  436-438 

time  rates,  437 

varying  rates,  436 
details  of  analysis,  439-444 

buying  power,  442 

occupation,  440 

position,  441 
earlier  circulation  conditions,  438 
editorial    policy    and    circulation, 

444.  445 
free  advertising  and  its  value,  431 
fundamental  values,  428-431 

limitations  of,   429 
general  division  into  groups,  434- 
436 

class  periodicals.  436 

farm  journals,  434 

general  magazines.  434 

trade    and    technical    journals, 
435 


history  of,  428 
space  and  service,  418 
sworn  statements.  438,  439 
territorial  analysis,  439 
Permanence    of    impression,    secur- 
ing, 122-125 
Personal    selling,    relation    of    copy 

to,  157.  158 
Persuasiveness, 
table  of,  78,  79 

application  of,  80-83 
Phonetics  in  advertisement  writing, 

99,  100 
Pictures  and  illustrations  in  adver- 
tisement, 122,  123 
Planning  the  campaign,  537-562 
Point  of  view  in  reason-why  copy, 

201 
Position  of  advertisement,    116-119 
in  the  medium,  116-T17 
on  the  page,  117,  118 
Posters,  4SS,  489 
artistic  development  of,  488 
illuminated,   489 

value  as  advertising  media,  488 
Pound,  Prof.  Louise, 
quoted,  128 
reference,  100 
Prejudice,    personal    or    traditional, 
overcome    by    rationalization    ap- 
peal, 92 
Primary  colors,  342 
Primitive  men,  needs  of,  62,  63 
Principles    of    form,   314-340,    (See 

also  "Form,  principles  of) 
Printed  matter, 
advertising  medium,  496,  497 
arrangement      of,      psychological 

study  of,  135 
form  and  typography  of,  496,  497 
Printed  word, 

definiteness  of,   15 
tendency  to  credit  the,  12,  13 
Problems    confronting    advertising, 
54-59,     (See     also     "Advertis- 
ing '■ ) 
Product,  52T-527 

character  of,  521,  522 
competitive  status  of,  526,  527 


576 


INDEX 


Product  —  Con  tilt  lied 

distribution  of,  24-26,  525 

distributors  of,  526 

marketing    factory   output,   24-26, 

technicality  of.  523 
usage  of,  5-23-525 
Production, 
in    relation    to    competition    and 
consumption,  40,  41 
Programs.  258 

Proportion.  Greek  law  of,  326 
Psychological, 
investigation,  555 
laboratory.  134-145 
advantages  of,   135 
how  to  utilize.  134-145 
practical    problems   investigated 

l^y.  1,15 

needs  of  individuals.  61.  62 

reasons  for  unity,  392-394 
Psychology, 

of  advertising.  49-SQ.  145 

of  trade-marks  and  trade-names, 
126-133 
Publicity, 

advertisement,  83 

copy.  278.  279 

developments  due  to.  7 

force  of.  7 
Publisher,   place   of,   in  advertising, 

416-427 
Pulling    power    of    advertisements, 
136-1.58 

measuring.  137.  138 

of  breakfast  food,  82 

of  jewelry.  83 

of  nails.  81 

of  typewriters,  82 

psychological     measurements     of, 
13(^138 


R 


Racial  instincts.  74 

Rates  in  advertising.  412.  436,  437 

standardization,   lack  of,  453.  454 
Rationalization   appeals,  90 

use  of,  90.  92 


Readers, 
types  of  newspaper,  449-451 

Reason-why   copy,   187-202 

Recent, 
growth,  5,  6 
meaning  of  advertising,  52,  53 

Reflex  appeals.  S7 

Reiteration,  futility  of.  93 

Relative    strength    of   instincts   and 
interests,  77-79 

Repetition  in  advertising.  121 

Repetition  of  advertisement.  120 

Responsibilities        of        advertising 
manager,  407 

Retailer,    value    of    advertising    to, 
21.  22 

Retail  selling,  18,  19 

Returns,  writing  the  copy  and  con- 
sidering the.  549-562 

Rule  embodying  ideal  trade  condi- 
tions, 2-,.  26 

Rules  of  euphony,  99,  100 


Sales, 

and  advertising  organization,  25, 
41,  42,  (See  also  "  Sales  organ- 
ization ") 

present-day  conditions  may  modi- 
fy methods  of,  46 

force,  house  organ  for,  500 

methods  and  organization  pol- 
icies, 43,  44.  520,  521 

operating  policy.  521 
sales  manuals.  521 
values,  extending.  529 

organization.   520.  521 
character  of.  520 

solidifying.  531 
Samples,   demonstrations   and,   515- 

517 
Selling   force,   advertising  as  a,    iS, 

19 

Senses,   direct   appeal   to,   208-210 

Sentence   unity,  237-240 

Sentiment    and    sentimentality,    ap- 
peals to,  216,  218 


INDEX 


577 


Sequence, 
comparison   of   effective   and   in- 
effective, 95,  96 
law  of,  94-96 

of  ideas,  necessity  of  proper,  95, 
96 

Service  and  functions  of  advertis- 
ing agencies,  409-411 

Shapes  and  sizes  of  advertisements, 
321-327.  (See  also  "Form, 
principles  of '") 

Short  circuit  appeals,  87 

"Short  circuit"  copy.  (See  "Hu- 
man-interest copy") 

Signs,  advertising  by,  256-258,  468- 

493 
Size  of  advertisement,  115,  116 
Small   retail   store  advertising,  253, 

254 
Social  instincts,  74 
Space    and    service    in    periodicals, 

418 
Special    service    by   technical   jour- 
nals, 466 
Specificness  in  headlines,  282,  283 
Spectrum  colors,  342-345,  (See  also 

"  Color  ") 
Square-mile  basis  of  factory  output 

consumption,  28,  29 
Standard  types,  383 
Staples,  when  advertising  does  not 

affect  sales,  36,  37 
Store  cards,  513-51S 
Story  form  of  copy-writing,  216 
Street  cars  and  bill-boards.  256-258 
Structural  and  decorative  types,  383 
Style, 
and  tone,  201,  202 
in  advertising  copy,  152,  153 
Suggestion,    in   advertising,   58,   59, 
204-206,  231 
borrowed  prestige,  11 1 
direct,  109 
factor     of     internal     resistance, 

111-114 
forceful,  109 

illustration,  functions  of.  363 
in    accord    with    habits    and    in- 
stincts, 108,  109 


indirect,  most  successful,  108 

laws  of,  105 
"  human-nature  "  copy,  105,  106 
'■  reason-why  "   copy,    106 

positive,  109 

prestige, 

of  past  success,  110,  11 1 
of  patronage,  iii 
of  source,  no 
of  space,  no 

spontaneous,  108 

unity  in  variety,  114 
Summary  of   functions  of  illustra- 
tion, 363-365 
System,  quoted,  517 


Table  of  persuasiveness,  78,  79 

application  of,  80-83 
Tact  and  good  taste  in  copy-writ- 
ing, 210,  211 
Tail  pieces  as  ornament,  379 
Technical      Publicity      Association, 

Technical    and    trade    journals   and 

magazines.  264,  265,  455-467 
Technical  men,  copy  for,  261.  263 
Technique  in  advertising  copy,  223, 

224 
Territorial  analysis,  439 
Text,    relative    importance    of    dis- 
play and,  276,  277 
Three  general  divisions  in  planning 

advertising,  40-42 
Tone-color,  232-234 
Trade   and  technical   journals,   264, 

265.  435,  461-467 
Trade-mark,  503-509 
and  quality,  506 
certificate  countries,   509 
factors   determining  right  to  use 

of  particular  trade-mark,  507 
foreign  requirements,  508,  509 
functions  of,  126 
identifying,  532 
individuality     of,     necessity     for, 

504-506 
legal  requirements  of,  507 


578 


INDEX 


Trade-mark  —  Continued 
meaning  of,  503,  504 
psychology  of,  126-133,  (See  also 

"  Trade-names  ") 
registering  with  patent  office,  507 

purpose  accomplished  by,  508 
value  of, 

to  business  organization,  506 

to  buyer,   506 
Trade  names, 
attention  and  memory  value  tests, 

135 
confusion   resulting   from  use  of 
like  syml)o!s,  132 

psychological   tests,    132,   133 
good,  qualifications  of,  130 
merchandising  power  of,  130,  131 
psychology  of,  126-133 

functions  they  should  perform, 

131 

infringement,  132,  133 
varieties  and  history,  128-130 
Trade    papers,     (See    "Trade    and 

technical  journals") 
Type,   (See  also  "Typography") 
display,  280 
hand-made,  384 
historic  and  modern,  384-387 
initials,    relation    to    other    type, 

388 
italics,  386,  387 
line  meanings,  380-383 

curved  lines,  381-383 

motion  and  rest,  380 

straight  lines,  380 
principles,  380-398 
selection,  103 
structural  and  decorative,  383 

standardized   forms,  383 
varieties,  102 
Types   of    newspaper   readers,   449- 

451 
Typewriter   advertisements,    pulling 

power  of,  82 
Typography,     100-103,      (See     also 

"Type") 
background  a  factor,  103 
legibility  of,   100,  loi 
lines  of  uniforrr   length,   102 


rules  for  in  advertisements,  i( 

103 
spacing  of   letters,   words,   lines 

and  sections,  102,  103 
"  word  form,"  102 


U 


Unit, 
basis  of  consumption  of   factory 

output,  28,  29 
system  of  advertising,  35,  36 
Unity  in  copy,  170-176 
approach  from  one  angle,  173 
concentration      on      one     talkinj 
-     point,  173 

consistent  structural,  316-321 
sentence,  237-240 
violations  of,  172,  174 
Unity  —  the    final    test    in    displaj 
390-398 
elements,  selection  of,  394 
form,  principles  of,  394 
form  and  arrangement,  395,  398 
of  idea,  390-392 

factors  entering,  391 
results  as  a  test,  390 
unit  defined,  390 
psychological    reasons    for,    392 
394 
multiplicity  of  ideas,  392 
relationsliip  between  ideas,  39 
Unscrupulous   advertising,  432 
Uses  of  advertising,  14 

V 

Value   of   advertising  to   manufac 
turer,   jobber,   and   retailer,   2 

23 

Vertical  shapes  in  advertising,  11; 

W 

Weaknesses   of  advertising  agencie 

415,  416 
White  space, 
in  advertisement,    1 18-120 
psychological    tests    of    effectiv' 
ness,  13s 


INDEX  579 

window  displays,  512,- 513  "Word-Coinage        and         Modern 

Women,  Trade-Names"         (reference), 

as    buyers,    consideration    of    im-  100 

portant,  45S  Words  of  advertisement,  99,  100 

copy  that  appeals  to,  2b-j-2-]i  Written  word, 

magazines  for,  434,  435,  458-461  advantages  of,  11,  12 


e  S  f^  o     2  t 


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